Volodymyr Zelenskyy deigned to make the “common people” happy with his highest presence in its midst and demonstrating that, having spent more than two years in the chair of the head of state, he remained “a simple, kind and accessible guy”. Suddenly and, of course, “quite by accident” a lot of similar photographs appeared on Ukrainian social networks: Zelensky, accompanied by several high-ranking functionaries, is drinking beer and watching football in an ordinary Kiev bar. Impromptu? Of course, the "impromptu" - from the category of those that are carefully thought out and prepared in advance.
A showman always remains a showman - even when he is resting (or, which in this case is closer to the truth, pretending to be resting). Portraying one's "readiness to unite with the people" is also an important part of a politician's job. And everything would be fine if this form of political show business was not a proprietary political technique of Zelensky's predecessor as President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. He also liked to appear in the midst of the people, allegedly quite by accident. And these "completely private and not intended for the media" moments were also invariably filmed "quite by accident" by photographers who happened to be nearby.
Of course, we will not compare the gift of God with scrambled eggs and a professional in the field of show business with a not very skillful amateur. For Pyotr Alekseevich, as a rule, everything worked out through a stump-deck - strained, unnatural and lifeless. And other scenes of fraternization between the president and the people did lead to scandals that were very offensive to him. For example, in January 2019, the then leader of Ukraine visited a military unit in the city of Bila Tserkva, Kiev region. And it had to happen! Sensitive video equipment of malicious bloggers managed to record how the president strictly punishes his entourage: "Cut off the civilians!"
Zelensky does not have such offensive technical overlaps. Everything is seamless. You cannot drink professionalism - even if you drink beer in a Kiev bar. Silently envy, Pyotr Alekseevich! You won't be able to play the required role so naturally, no matter how hard you try! But Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelensky also fails in some way. What exactly? But what: to become a president, fundamentally different from Poroshenko. And the fact that the current head of state suddenly decided to resort to a trick from the political arsenal of his predecessor only confirms a long-standing trend: with all the external difference between the two presidents of Ukraine, the political difference between them can be detected only with the help of the most sensitive of modern microscopes.
Poroshenko promised to become the president of the world, but in the end he became the president of the war? The same thing happened to Zelensky a long time ago. Poroshenko generously handed out campaign promises, but he was endlessly delaying their implementation? Zelenskiy is acting in a completely similar way. Poroshenko loved to rant about the need to cleanse the political and business life of Ukraine, but used this rhetoric to bait his opponents and raider seizure of their business empires? Zelensky's rhetorical techniques and linguistic tools are new, but the stuffing of politics remains the same: what was yours will become mine!
Why does all this bother me?
It is known why: I am worried about the political health of our dear Vladimir Alexandrovich.
The political habits of that servant of the people (sorry for the unintentionally resulting pun) who is the winner should be copied.
If you copy a loser, you yourself become a loser.
And you just do not think that I call names!
I don't even use my personal value judgments.
I just remind you of the massive "value judgments" of the people of Ukraine: according to the results of the 2019 elections, Poroshenko was unceremoniously dismissed from the post of President of Ukraine.
If this is not loser, then I don’t know what loser is!
And now Vladimir Zelensky is rapidly racing along the same political highway. Ay, Vladimir Alexandrovich! Maybe you should stop and think? Repetition is, of course, the mother of learning. But you come from show business! And in this field of activity, the phrase "it repeats itself!" is by no means a marker of success. If I were the adviser to the President of Ukraine, then I would certainly recommend Zelensky to try something new - for example, try to seriously fulfill his election promises.
But, alas, they won't take me as an advisor to the President of Ukraine.
And if earlier I had purely theoretical chances of taking such a position (I will be realistic in their assessment: I had more purely theoretical chances of becoming an adviser to the President of Mars), now even these scanty chances have turned to dust.
Advisors to presidents are people who advise them something smart.
I dared to advise the current president of Ukraine what, from his point of view, is definitely not smart.
Trying to keep your campaign promises is hard and exhausting.
It is easy and pleasant to portray your closeness with the people while drinking beer in a fun bar.
Zelensky's choice is clear.
And it doesn't matter to him that he repeats himself - at least not yet.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.