Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also fighting a great battle in the field of communication. What kind of message does his attitude in the videos he shoots give to his people? How does he use social media?
The 7th day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has passed. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy is one of the factors that magnified the undoubted struggle of the Ukrainians during the occupation. Except for the 42 million Ukrainians, the whole world is always focused on Zelensky’s statement.
Zelenskiy, who actively uses social media, shares critical messages, and rejects the invitations of some world leaders to lead the war from their countries, defends his country from the capital Kiev. The young leader of Ukraine took the whole West behind him with his struggle for days.
While Zelensky convinces the world with all these phone calls, he also mobilizes the citizens of his country and directs his army.
The following questions come to mind about Zelenskiy, who stands against a great power like Russia;
How did it affect the voters who did not love him?
Changing Europe
British newspaper The Guardian ‘What is this man’s secret?’ He asked his question to a close source who witnessed the phone calls. “Very direct, very passionate and very practical,” the source says of the Ukrainian leader.
“I think Zelenskiy being a comedian and an actor is helping him a lot in handling the situation right now. He’s used to being in front of the camera. He’s a former performer,” said Samuel Woolley, Associate Professor at the Austin, Texas School of Journalism. Woolley states that before this crisis, Zelenskiy’s approval rate in the polls was quite low.
Quatro Head of Political Strategies Elif Dört Aydemir says that in order to understand Zelenskiy’s leadership success today, it is necessary to know Ukraine well before Zelenskiy. Aydemir states that in Ukraine before Zelensky, corruption had become an ordinary daily occurrence.
Stating that the Ukrainian people are now turning their face to the west and the democratic values of the west, especially after the 90s, Aydemir said, “Although Zelenskiy is not a career politician, he came to power by making good use of the public’s reaction against this oligarchic structure that feeds on corruption. The reaction of both the Ukrainian people and the world. He predicts what direction it will take and takes a position accordingly.”
Saying how Zelenskiy will appeal to both national and humanitarian feelings, and that this is a natural talent that comes from his acting life, Aydemir says, “In his speech by connecting online at the UN General Assembly, he even made the translators cry and was applauded.”
Stating that Zelenskiy had started to create public opinion by using popular culture tools even before the Russian invasion began, Aydemir said, “After the start of the occupation, he started to use social media correctly, not only with himself, but also with popular figures who were with him and won the love of the Ukrainian people.”
Aydemir says that Zelenskiy’s taking selfies on the streets of Kyiv under bombardment, addressing the world in a military uniform and emphasizing that he would never run away shows that he used the ‘courage’ factor well. Aydemir said, “He did not choose to go into the shelter and withdraw into isolation, but by making an effort to come together with both his colleagues and the public, he succeeded in managing the morale and motivation of the people correctly, thus directing the people to make a total defense against the occupation.”
Aydemir says, “Russia is currently fighting not with the Ukrainian army of several hundred thousand people, but with 40 million Ukrainian citizens. As a result, the Ukrainian people have found the hero they were looking for and are stuck around him. He will go down in history as a hero whether he survives this war or dies.”
The issue of existing of Ukraine
Expressing that Zelenskiy’s move, he took the issue out of a political administration conflict with the escalation of the crisis, Aydemir says that Ukraine has made it a matter of existence and non-existence, as well as the existence of Europe and democracy.
Not leaving the capital, meeting with the people, communicating
How should a political figure act in such environments, how does Zelenskiy handle the situation? can he make it Aydemir gave the following answer to the question: “First of all, he should not leave the capital. He must show courage and prove this courage by not hiding, mixing with the public and wandering around the streets.
Another important issue is the necessity of making communication both continuous and realizing it in a way that appeals to the emotions. Zelenskiy has followed a successful line in these matters,” he said.
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