Violations of international law by Ukrainian troops - especially by the Azov Battalion - in the Donbass region are well documented by independent observers. These violent acts have been a useful tool for the Russian propaganda to justify their own nationalistic war of aggression (so much about nationalism). And as much as I like to applaud Zelenskyy for his heroism and cleverness, his history makes we worried about a future peace. His presidential campaign was void of policies and centred around his public persona which he projected very cleverly (and once in power his approval ratings nosedived). The source of his political success is first and foremost his bigger than life self-belief. In this respect he might be like Winston Churchill, but other than Zelenskyy, he operated in a country with functioning political and public institutions. Ukraine had neither of it before the Russian invasion. One can only hope that the unifying force of war, the common-purpose nationalism, can overcome this deficit.
Violations of international law by Ukrainian troops - especially by the Azov Battalion - in the Donbass region are well documented by independent observers. These violent acts have been a useful tool for the Russian propaganda to justify their own nationalistic war of aggression (so much about nationalism). And as much as I like to applaud Zelenskyy for his heroism and cleverness, his history makes we worried about a future peace. His presidential campaign was void of policies and centred around his public persona which he projected very cleverly (and once in power his approval ratings nosedived). The source of his political success is first and foremost his bigger than life self-belief. In this respect he might be like Winston Churchill, but other than Zelenskyy, he operated in a country with functioning political and public institutions. Ukraine had neither of it before the Russian invasion. One can only hope that the unifying force of war, the common-purpose nationalism, can overcome this deficit.