President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personifies the commander who, in the face of Russia's aggression, is not only defending his country, Ukraine, but also Europe. In this confrontation, it united the Ukrainians, but also the West like never before.
Undoubtedly, he was the man who caught the world's attention. For many, never before in history has it been easier to determine who was the politician who made for himself not only the leaders of the countries that came out in support of Ukraine, but also the citizens of the countries whose leaders because of their interests narrow political parties sided with Vladimir Putin's conquering Russia.
During most of the speeches and appeals for help, Zelenskyy did not talk about the necessity of helping the former Soviet Republic attacked by a neighboring country, but awakened the conscience of the West - until then heavily dependent on Russian gas and oil - for the danger posed by Putin's Russia for democracy and the essence of human values on which the European Union is built.
In the weeks after Russian bombs began falling on February 24, Zeleneskyy's decision not to flee Kiev but to stay and secure popular support came as a surprise to many skeptics. From his first 40-second Instagram post on February 25 – showing that his cabinet and civil society had not let go – to daily speeches delivered remotely in the halls of parliaments, the World Bank and the Grammy Awards, the president of Ukraine was everywhere. His information offensive changed the geopolitical system, triggering a wave of action that swept the globe.
In a world marked by great divisions, there was a unity around this cause, around this place that many might not be able to find on a map. At the UN, 141 countries condemned the occupation; only North Korea, Syria, Eritrea and Belarus – all dictatorships – voted with Moscow. Big companies pulled out of Russia en masse, withdrawing billions in revenue. Financial, material, humanitarian and military support followed for Ukraine at war. Foreigners accepted refugees; volunteers fed the hungry; medics flew in to help the wounded. Ukraine's flag was unfurled across social media, its yellow and blue colors lighting up monuments from Tokyo to Sandusky, Ohio.
The spirit of support for Ukraine was embodied by countless individuals at home and abroad. Many fought behind the scenes.
And Zelenskyy did not for a moment take his focus off keeping the world's eyes on Ukraine. The former comedian naturally understood that attention is the most valuable currency on the planet and that it stands out in the global market. He did this through meticulous image creation and repetition in his message. He was blunt, sometimes sarcastic and always hit the mark.
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"We must save Ukraine to save democracy", he declared.
In an alternate reality, where someone else might have led Ukraine, it might or might not be a Russian flag flying over the parliament building in Kiev. There would almost certainly still be a McDonald's near Moscow's Red Square, that symbol of post-Cold War globalization.
Zelenskyy's command of the guns of the digital age meant that business leaders and politicians everywhere were forced to take notice and take a stand, whether they liked it or not.
