2022 the year of Zelenskyj
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It is time to sum up 2022. For Europe, this is the most dramatic year since World War II. A new major war in central Europe has probably cost 300,000 human lives so far. This is the year when all of Europe loved Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. His determination to stay in Ukraine and not flee into exile united the Ukrainian people. In a simple and popular way, he appeared on TV, often wearing a T-shirt. The way he got support for weapons from the US and Western Europe is also impressive. 2022 is the year of Zelenskyi.
Servant of the people
Volodymyr Zelenskyj was successful in the TV series “Servant of the People”. In this TV series, Volodymyr Zelenskyj, who played a teacher, was elected president of Ukraine. The series is a humorous look at Ukraine. But it is actually Volodymyr Zelenskyj’s project to become Ukraine’s real struggle that we see in “the servant of the people”. The newly elected president’s meeting with bureaucracy, oligarchs and corruption. The simple teacher turned president wanted to change things. In my opinion, Volodymyr Zelenskyj started his political positioning towards becoming president with this TV series.
There are many similarities between the figure we see in the TV series and the president we see now. His folksy way of being and his desire to do the best for his country. Zelenskyj was elected by the people because the people wanted a president who was their servant. The way he has led Ukraine throughout 2022 can be described with these words. He is the servant of the people.
2022, when the people became even more united
Russia initially tried to take all of Ukraine in a few days, kill the president and incorporate Ukraine into Russia. This was a total failure. Russia has subsequently attempted to terror-bomb Ukraine, in an attempt to split the country internally. The attempt is equally unsuccessful. In fact, Russia’s brutality has helped unite Ukraine even more. The Russian-speaking part of the population has largely switched to speaking Ukrainian. Why? To show distance from Russia and unity in Ukraine. Putin’s strategy of dividing Ukraine will never succeed.
Volodymyr Zelenskyj is the very symbol of Ukrainian unity. Nor have Putin’s attempts to overcome division in the EU and NATO been successful. These, too, are more collected now than ever. It is obvious that Volodymyr Zelenskyj has been a president who has also managed to bring the EU and NATO together. Ukraine’s fight for freedom from Russia is also Europe’s fight.
Slava Ukraini.