Zelensky Has Become More Than a Man

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56. President Zelensky is a profile in courage

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And the heroic figure at the center of this war is none other than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a former actor and comedian who rose to prominence playing a character on a popular TV show who accidentally becomes the Ukrainian president. Zelensky then parlayed his success into politics, running for office in 2019 on the back of a political party named after his show, "Servant of the People."

Imagine a country where a television star could become president and emerge as a beacon of courage!

But sometimes history comes to the rescue of a politician, and the past week has transmogrified Zelensky from a rapidly dwindling presidential figure into a national hero on a massive scale. He has shown himself to be a man who has dug into himself and found an inspiring store of courage. When the United States offered to evacuate him from Ukraine, he stood his ground, saying, "The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride."

He has posted several videos online, and they've inspired a fierce defiance among the Ukrainian people. In one video titled "We are here. We are in Kyiv. We are protecting Ukraine," Zelensky can be seen surrounded by his top advisers. "We are all here. Our army are here. Citizens and society are here," he says. "We are defending our independence, our state, and it will remain so."