Zelensky’s example

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Citizens viewing politicians with pessimism due to corruption, mismanagement and/or ideology is something we understand all too well in the Caribbean. Also unerring is believing an individual’s true character is exemplified in times of emergency.

For Volodymyr Zelensky, his true nature is currently being exposed. As a comedian who portrayed a TV president and turned sitcom fame into the actual presidency in 2019, the roller coaster kept going.

His ‘Trump-like’ flamboyance and failure to deliver on anti-corruption and infrastructure plans in Ukraine saw approval ratings as low as 28 per cent coming into 2022. With dwindling confidence in their president’s capabilities as he downplayed the likelihood of Russian aggression, Ukrainians remained uneasy. The eventual invasion has now surpassed most anticipations.

However, what has also outdone expectations is the insistence by thousands of Ukrainians to remain in their homeland to help repel Russian advances. This underdog fight can be majorly attributed to Zelensky himself, the “number one target” of the Russians, who has rejected opportunities to flee and has remained in Kyiv all the time, leading diplomatic and military efforts.

At the cusp of death, most of the Ukrainian political class led by Zelensky have managed to do what President Ashraf Ghani’s government didn’t have the courage to achieve in Afghanistan – defend their people.

Invariably, as the Caribbean fostered many heroes throughout time, we often decry the lack of conviction of many of our politicians today; however, Zelensky provides a portrait of valiance that we can all hope and strive to achieve.

JADE-MARK SONILAL

UWI, ST AUGUSTINE