It could be mistaken for a stadium concert. With two large screens so that even those furthest behind would get the feeling of being close. Then he came stumbling. Hand in hand with his wife Olena. It was almost so that he was indistinguishable in appearance from the soldiers and guards who resolutely kept people at arm’s length. The only difference was that few people would wear a black hoodie in the July heat of Vilnius. SECURITY GUARD OR PRESIDENT: Volodymyr Zelenskyj could easily be mistaken for a security guard here. Photo: Pavel Golovkin / AP But there he was. In said sweater and green military trousers. And brown shoes. Not pretty and freshly polished. Marching boots. Volodymyr Zelenskyj Lukiškės square in the center of Vilnius was filled to the brim. Everyone wanted to see the big star of the Nato summit. And in the middle of it all I stood and was most worried about how I was going to get from here to the presidential palace in time for the Dagsrevyen. We all have our own, as they say … Criticized the NATO countries When the NATO countries on the first day of the meeting did not reach an agreement on a time frame for when Ukraine can become a NATO member, Zelenskyj referred to it as “absurd” on Twitter. Facsimile: Screenshot from Twitter He was rarely crass and went to great lengths to suggest that the countries’ decision, or rather lack thereof, only served Russia’s cause and gave Russia “motivation to continue its terrorism”. The Twitter message caused so much anger, especially in the USA, that according to American media, there were several people in President Joe Biden’s close circle who advocated withdrawing Ukraine’s NATO invitation. POPULAR: It was almost like a stadium concert when Volodymyr Zelenskyj took to the stage in Vilnius last week. Photo: AFP But Volodymyr Zelenskyj stepped forward on stage. While the rest of NATO’s leaders sat safely in armored cars or in heavily guarded hotels, he stood there – in front of tens of thousands of people. The superstar at the NATO summit. “Slave Ukraine!” – Glory to Ukraine, he said from the stage and it felt like the whole of Vilnius. Perhaps the whole of Lithuania answered “Herojam slava” – Glory to the heroes. There and then there was no doubt who was the most popular politician in Vilnius on this summer’s day. FANS: Two young Lithuanian women leave no doubt who they support. Photo: AFP Everything is thought out The military green shirts or hoodies have in many ways become Zelenskyi’s trademark. Every time you see the president, you are reminded that the country he leads is at war. The man is a top-class communicator. A man who has shown how to use social media and new channels. He speaks to his people. But a whole world comes with it. His background as an actor and comedian means that he knows how dramaturgy is built up. He is conscious of the way he stands, walks and talks. And not least: How he is dressed. Nothing is accidental. Something that should become very clear this summer evening. KLEM: The formal was not the focus when Volodymyr Zelenskyj and Gitanas Nausėda met on stage in Vilnius. Photo: AFP Support for Ukraine has been almost unconditional on the part of the Baltic countries. Then the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, who stood next to Zelenskyj on the stage’, did not content himself with a handshake. The two presidents embraced each other in front of the sea of people. The moment is special. Almost familial. Like two brothers or father and son. Nausėda knows that what Zelenskyj wanted most of all also split the alliance. It did not help that many of the Eastern European and Baltic countries agreed to Ukrainian NATO membership. Or at least gave a deadline. Deep down, everyone knew it was impossible. As long as there is war in Ukraine, the consequence may be a major war in Europe. The countries with the greatest military power would also bear the greatest military burden. It gave itself. They had to say no. But there is a kind of comfort in that hug too. A reassurance. Took off the sweater It is perhaps easy to think that we who cover a NATO summit are frolicking around in ICE GLAD: Joe Biden eats an ice cream (the picture is not from the NATO summit, but from 2022) Photo: AP corridors at the conference centre. Makes small talk with heads of state, says “thank you for the last time” to Zelenskyj (after all, we were in the same room in Helsinki in May). Or sharing an ice cream with Joe Biden (he loves ice cream, much to first lady Jill’s frustration). Of course, there will be time for a little chat with the secretary-general, before we go on the screen and analyze the content of the talks. But the meeting for us is probably so much logistics. Everyone, even the biggest stars from the American TV channels, have to get on the same tired, overcrowded shuttle bus to the media center. The city is organized to transport motorcades. Not all the rest of us. And that’s exactly why, while the rest of Vilnius looked in awe at the small, big man from Ukraine, I realized that I had to start my journey to the presidential palace, where all the heads of state were to gather for dinner that evening. COURTAGE: Joe Biden’s motorcade moves through the streets of Vilnius in connection with the NATO summit Photo: AP I chose a bicycle. It is about two and a half kilometers from Lukiškės Square, where Zelenskyj addressed the Presidential Palace. Usually. The detour was long to avoid the crowds and the roadblocks. The daily news report got its report, almost right outside the presidential palace. Zelenskyi also came there. In the car he had put down his black hoodie. FAMILY PHOTO: Volodymyr Zelenskyj in the front row clearly stood out among the more festively dressed participants at the dinner during the NATO summit. (The woman with a priest’s collar behind Zelenskyj is incidentally the Swedish prime minister’s wife, Birgitta Ed, who was ordained a priest in January this year). Photo: AP In a green shirt and green military trousers, he stood with the other heads of state, who had donned party attire and were photographed neatly posed. Often humorously referred to as a “family photo”. The look in the camera After the photo shoot, the others turned their backs. Presumably to step down from the podium. Zelenskyj was left standing. It could seem as if he was standing alone. It probably only took a few seconds. But he was staring into a camera lens. The look was intense. Obstinate or irritated. Or both. The man, who does not leave any of his communications to chance, had a message. MESSAGE: The Ukrainian president sent a sharp glance in the direction of the press stand after the photo of the heads of state. Photo: AFP There was neither, nor is there any doubt. Whether it was conversations during dinner that improved the mood, or the hug from the Lithuanian president. Or most likely, something else entirely, shall be left unsaid. But the next day the tone was mild. From calling the NATO summit “absurd”, Zelenskyy hailed the decisions. He understood, he said, that Ukraine cannot become a member while the war rages in its homeland. The Nato alliance, which before the summit could look like an alliance showing signs of fatigue and division, agreed. And Zelenskyj was happy, after all. HAPPY AGAIN: Volodymyr Zelenskyj was in a significantly better mood on the second day of the NATO summit. Still in military green shirt. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB Greetings from the night train He posted a video from the night train carriage on the way home. For over eight minutes, he addressed each individual participating country at the summit. He thanked for the support. Even if Ukraine doesn’t get the NATO membership he dreamed of yet. No time horizon either, so they received a historically strong promise of support. A new Ukraine-NATO council, long-term security promises and a “fast-track” into the alliance when the member states agree that the time has come. THANKS: The Ukrainian president addressed all NATO countries during an eight-minute video he recorded on the night train to Kyiv. Photo: Screenshot from Twitter In the picture from the presidential palace, he looked more like a security guard than a head of state, with a beard in the military green shirt and trousers. Or maybe he looks the most like a head of state of them all. Real leaders don’t wear suits. They wear military green shirts. At least that is what Zelenskyj has made us think. THE INVASION: This photo was broadcast on the night of February 24, 2022. It is probably the most recent photo available of Zelenskyj in a suit and tie. Since then, he has mostly appeared in military green or black T-shirts, jumpers and jackets. The question is when he will pull on a suit again. Photo: AP
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Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s style is no accident. – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
