The ‘influencer’ leader against the analogical president

Volodymyr Zelensky, before the Canadian parliament. / EP

Volodymyr Zelensky has launched a political campaign that diverged from his rival Putin that has captivated the entire world

“To make peace you need two; but to wage war only one person is enough.’ This phrase by former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain perfectly reflects the situation of the war. A month ago Vladimir Putin got into the ring in a fight in which he was a priori his favorite. But with each new round the ignorance of a rival forced to box, and who has managed to win the support of the public, lengthens a simple fight and complicates the Russian victory.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian and opponent of the Soviets, has chosen a very different communication path. Since the beginning of the conflict, on February 24, Zelenski hung up his suit and tie to dress like a common soldier without any decoration. The Ukrainian leader addressed his people to preach that he was no different from his fellow citizens: “If you are presidents of Ukraine like me, I am a soldier in the service of Ukraine like you.” He knew that his country needed a reference, and he decided to embody in his figure the struggle of the entire nation. A heroic story that grew with the already mythical phrase “give me ammunition, not a transport”. After the success achieved at the national level, Zelenski understood that his show demanded an international tour.

The tour began under the NATO spotlights; and after the successful debut, the leader understood that the how was the most important part of the message. The first thing was to appeal to the historical catastrophes of his public. His speech in front of the United States, the most important region of the tour, was proof of this: «Now we need you, I ask you to remember Pearl Harbor when you were attacked. Remember 9/11. The tactic worked and Zelensky decided to add it to his program before the parliaments of Great Britain, Germany, France… «Listen to what the Kremlin says, it is the same terminology that the Nazis used against you. It is a tragedy », he exclaimed before the Israeli camera.

The second part of his speech was based on empathy between nations; as he demonstrated on March 15 in front of members of the Canadian parliament: “Imagine Ottawa airport bombed like ours are being bombed. Imagine the city of Vancouver under siege like Mariupol. How do you explain all this to your children? Volodymyr even enhanced this effect by looking for similarities between the Ukrainian people and their listeners: «Imagine a completely burned Genoa after three weeks of siege. Imagine a Genoa from which people have to escape »he declared to the Italians as he equated the city with besieged Mariupol.

An obvious strategy that the leader preached from the beginning was the demonization of his enemy, something that has not been a problem due to its invaded status. But Zelensky has gone further and has warned not only of the negative consequences of the war, but also that “Russia will not remain alone in Ukraine.” The president assured before various courts that “They want to enter Europe, but barbarism must not enter”, and highlights the label of villain of the Russian nation. The leader insists on the terror that his adversary wants to sow “Everything possible must be done to guarantee that there is a tomorrow,” he explained to Japanese deputies last Wednesday.

But the most effective communication weapon that he has fired, the one with the highest caliber, is the guilt of those who come to his talk. “We can ask why we have not received weapons from Israel, why it has not imposed strong sanctions on Russia. It has been your decision and you will have to live with the conscience of it ». Volodymyr knows that guilt is a powerful tool, and he has taken advantage of it to reproach actions against his benefit: “We warned you that Nord Stream 2 was a weapon. And his answer was economy, economy, economy »he blurted out before the German Bundestag. He has also taken advantage of this effect to request companies to cease their activities in Russia, as in front of the French parliament: «They must stop financing the murder of women and children and rapes. Everyone must remember that values ​​are worth more than benefits.

To round it off, this powerful message is surrounded by prodigious communication skills, with the use of multimedia resources such as motivational videos, shocking images or sounds of war. Zelenski has understood the strategy that he must follow, a close influencer leader against an analogical president. And while the stakes remain lopsided today, the lone Soviet corner watches as more and more of the crowd cheers and helps David any way they can against Goliath.