French reporter Regis Genté not surprised that the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi decided not to flee from Kiev when Russia launched a major attack on Ukraine in February.
He is not surprised that the president’s side has lasted.
According to Genté, Zelensky has the strong support of the people.
– There is a democratic atmosphere in Ukraine. He has the mandate of a nation that wants to fight for its emancipation, knows very well what it wants and has changed a lot in recent years, says Genté, who visited Finland this week, in an interview with .
Genté believes that the people’s support for Zelensky dates back to the Maidan revolution in 2014. At that time, the desire for change arose in many Ukrainians.
Genté has lived and worked in the former Soviet Union for 20 years.
In the summer, he and his partner published the book Volodymyr Zelenskyi – a war hero.
The book tells the story of Zelensky, a popular actor who became a war hero, and reveals how, as a result of the 2014 Maidan revolution, the young generation of eastern Ukraine woke up to their identity and joined forces to support a united Ukraine.
“You get the impression that he is really with the people”
A native of southern Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi came to the public’s attention with his television role in the comedy series Kansan stelvelija, which started in 2015. He played history teacher Vasyl Holoborodko, who happens to be elected president.
In 2019, Zelensky became the real-life president.
And now he is a war hero in the eyes of the West.
According to Genté, Zelenskyi in his home country does not wear the same cloak of hero as in the West, even though he is popular.
– By staying in Kiev when Russia attacked, Zelenskyi sent a strong message. It was certainly brave.
Genté believes that Zelensky’s popularity is based on the fact that he presents himself as an equal with citizens. According to Genté, Zelenskyi does not even manage the traditional role of a politician.
– One gets the impression that he is really at the service of the people. There is no reason to doubt that he would not support his country with all the means at his disposal as president, without agreeing to compromises with Russia.
According to Genté, Zelenskyi is the image of his modern nation.
– He represents politically but also sociologically modern Ukraine. He is not a hero in the sense that he saves Ukraine, but Ukrainians themselves save Ukraine, says Genté.
Genté believes that Zelenskyi acts according to the same logic as the name of his television series, Servant of the People. According to him, it seems that Zelenskyi follows the will of the people. It’s not necessarily just a good thing.
– The will of the people can actually be quite fickle, it can also be interpreted and manipulated.
Genté thinks it is interesting that Zelensky became a war hero, even though he has, among other things, earned a lot of money from his television show in the Russian market.
Zelenskyi has won the information war
Zelenskyi is constantly in contact with state leaders, among other things: he talks about war events, pleads for Ukraine, asks for weapons.
The book reminds us that each speech is carefully tailored.
According to Genté, Zelensky’s main task is to communicate, and it is clear that he has won the information war against Russia.
Genté points out that this is not a miracle, as Zelenskyi is a professional in communication as an actor and even won the presidential election with the help of Instagram.
– His communication is efficient and simple. He says that Ukraine is being attacked, he is on the side of his people, and has not started a war like Putin, who talks about his palace from far behind his desk.
Genté adds that hardly anyone other than the former actor in his green t-shirt would succeed in conveying the feelings of citizens like Zelenskyi.
Zelenskyi has grown as president
Genté considers Zelenskyi’s weakness to be that he does not always have political understanding.
– One mistake was that he didn’t understand that the war was starting. To the last, he refused to believe US intelligence.
Genté considers Zelenskyi’s development in the role of president to be remarkable.
At the beginning of his presidency, Zelensky’s knowledge of, for example, international organizations such as NATO and macroeconomic mechanisms was weak, and his English was not that great. Genté believes that, forced by the war, Zelensky has become a statesman.
According to Genté, Zelensky doesn’t really have any political ideology, he picks things up from here and there.
He emphasizes economy and digitality.
– This is a detail, but it says something: the only minister who has remained the same during Zelensky’s administration is the minister responsible for digitalization.
History must also be seen in Ukrainians’ will to fight
Genté believes that Zelensky is ready to fight to the end if the people want it.
Zelenskyi said in March that a referendum should be held in Ukraine on a possible peace agreement.
– I think it’s quite an honest speech, because ordinary Ukrainians have given their lives in the war, says Genté.
Genté is impressed by the determination of the Ukrainians.
According to him, Ukraine’s desire to fight is based on practical rather than ideological reasons. Ukrainians long for freedom and a better everyday life – and they want to live in a rule of law.
The Ukrainians’ motivation to fight should also be seen – or above all – as a historical dimension, he reminds.
For example, he gives the Holodomor. On Thursday, the European Parliament approved a statement that defines the famine of the 1930s in Ukraine as genocide, the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin during the administration.
Without understanding these long roots, we cannot understand all the strength and energy that Ukrainians put into the war, Genté believes.
– The Holodomor is something that is still present.
Genté was surprised by the weakness of the Russian army
The weakness of the Russian army has come as a surprise to Genté. He witnessed the war in Georgia with his own eyes.
His perception was that the Russian army was much more professional and modern than before, but the war in Ukraine has shown otherwise.
– Russia thought that it would defeat Ukraine in a few weeks and that the Ukrainians would welcome them with a bouquet of flowers.
Genté believes that Putin realizes that he was wrong, but that does not mean that Putin will give up.
According to the book, it is essential for Russia to keep Ukraine on Russia’s side and prevent the country from choosing the path of European civilization.
– I believe that Putin must remain faithful to his view that Ukraine should not exist and that if Ukraine opposes Russia, it is because of the West. And that basically Ukraine belongs to the Russian world, says Genté.
It is difficult to estimate the duration of the war. Much depends on how long the West can support Ukraine.
– It is often said that the war ends when one of the parties is no longer able to fight. It looks like that’s the case now too.
The Ukrainian people are determined, but so is the Russian government. Therefore, according to Genté, the war can last a long time.
What thoughts do Zelenskyi’s leadership and the change in Ukrainian society evoke? You can discuss the topic until Sunday, December 18, 2022 at 11 p.m.
Read more:
‘s updated article about Russia’s attack on Ukraine