Like many Canadians, I have watched Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine with shock and disgust. Our leaders are right to condemn Putin’s disregard for Ukrainian sovereignty in the strongest possible terms.
Yet the past week has also offered moments of hope. The resilience and resistance of the Ukrainian people has been inspiring. With little warning, everyday people have taken up the fight for their country and freedom. Their courage has greatly moved me.
Perhaps the best example of this courage is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a speech posted online hours before the invasion began, President Zelenskyy addressed the invaders directly. He stated that, “By attacking us, you are going to see our faces. Not backs — our faces.” His countrymen have shown that to be absolutely true.
And despite consistent shelling of Kyiv, President Zelenskyy has refused to flee, even though he is in great danger. In response to an American offer to evacuate him, President Zelenskyy is reported to have answered, “The fight is here. I need ammunition, not a ride.”
By the time this letter is published, the situation in Ukraine could be vastly different. War moves fast. For now, the Ukrainian people have shown what it truly means to stand up for freedom, and President Zelenskyy has modelled true leadership.
Before he entered politics, President Zelenskyy was a comedian who played a fictitious Ukrainian president on a TV show called Servant of the People. Today, he is a real servant of the people, and no one is laughing now.
Ben Throndson, St. Albert
