Volodymyr Zelenskyj has often been described in the media as a clown, comedian or actor.
Gladly already in the headline.
That was unfair for two reasons.
First of all, it was said implicitly that this profession is something completely different from other professions and that it does not fit into politics.
As if hard work, discipline and diligence aren't as much a part of acting as they are of any other profession if you want to be successful.
Second, it was unfair because before Zelenskyy became President of Ukraine in 2019, he was much more than just a very successful actor.
He was a very successful entrepreneur.
In 1997, at the age of just 19, he co-founded the cabaret group Kwartal 95, which he later expanded into his own production company with 300 employees.
He was a moderator, show host, author,
Developer of ideas and known far beyond Ukraine.
And that at just forty years old.
The man is a doer.
Someone who is impatient to reach their goal, who says what is going on directly, pragmatically and quickly.
Die Zeit spoke to his fitness trainer three years ago, who described him as follows: “Emotional and impulsive.
He works like an animal, is disciplined, rarely sleeps more than five hours.
keep his word
Be of integrity.
Learn fast, have a photographic memory.
Be down to earth and generous.”
So it might seem funny to look at what the fictional president Zelenskyy played for the well-known TV series Servant of the People has in common with the president he actually became as of 2019.
But it doesn't really help.
Because the man the whole world is listening to because he defies Putin is neither an actor nor a comedian, nor is he currently playing a role.
He's a politician after three years in office, and he's very good at two things that are important right now: he knows who to talk to and he knows how.
He speaks better Russian than Ukrainian
That was not always so.
He grew up speaking Russian, like many in eastern Ukraine, and only learned Ukrainian when he was young.
Some said he was not very eloquent in Ukrainian, they found him awkward and sometimes clumsy.
There were jokes about him for starting but not finishing sentences;
Interpreters had trouble translating him.
That has recently changed.
He has found a clear, simple and haunting language.
Zelenskyj has given several speeches in the past few days that have changed him, Ukraine and the world.
The first at the Munich Security Conference on February 19.
It probably changed him the most. The political scientist Iryna Solonenko calls this speech a "turning point".
This is where Selenskyj found himself.
His speech was a sharp, bitter attack on the West, and it revealed the full frustration of a country that for years had hoped to find real connection with Europe, but got no "honest answers" and was only ever put off.
Zelenskyy accused the Western states of doing nothing for Ukraine and of becoming an "accomplice" of Russia through this "indifference", without explicitly naming the neighboring country here.
One of the strongest passages of the speech read: “We will defend our country with or without the help of our partners.
Whether they give us hundreds of modern weapons or five thousand helmets.
We appreciate any help, but everyone should understand that these are not charitable donations that Ukraine should ask for.
These are not noble gestures for which Ukraine must bow deeply.
This is your contribution to the security of Europe and the world, because Ukraine has been a reliable shield for the past eight years.
For eight years we have been holding back one of the world's largest armies, standing on our border - not the EU's border."
because Ukraine has been a reliable shield for the past eight years.
For eight years we have been holding back one of the world's largest armies, standing on our border - not the EU's border."
because Ukraine has been a reliable shield for the past eight years.
For eight years we have been holding back one of the world's largest armies, standing on our border - not the EU's border."