JRL NEWSWATCH: “Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The marathon runner; Dreamer No. 1 — Ukraine” – Politico.EU
“… Every once in a while, a leader comes along and single-handedly changes the course of history … through the power of their words. … Zelenskyy is such a leader. From his defiant ‘We are here’ video … in the first days of the war outside his presidential office … and his iconic ‘I need ammunition, not a ride’ quip … to … tailor-made screeds … in parliaments around … the world, Zelenskyy inspired Ukrainians to continue resisting Russia[] … and cajoled, shamed and begged nations into helping …. Those rhetorical efforts have paid off, with Western allies delivering financial aid and an increasing quantity of sophisticated weaponry … to Ukraine’s defiantly resolute forces. … Zelenskyy’s leadership … has … push[ed] through things … until recently unthinkable, moving Ukraine to the front of the line for EU membership — and closer than anyone thought possible to … NATO …. But 2024 is going to be a challenging year for an entertainer who became a president after playing one on TV. The world is distracted by … the Middle East; Ukrainians are exhausted by two years of battles … in the face of Russia’s brutal meat-grinder; ordinary Europeans are feeling a cost-of-living crunch that threatens to curb their generosity of spirit for the people giving up their lives to keep … Putin’s forces at bay; and EU politicians are getting skittish about the likely cost … of an agricultural powerhouse gaining access to the single market. …”