Of the many things you might admire about Ukraine’s president, one stands out. It’s his ability to stay focused in speeches and interviews on his country’s most urgent need: weapons.
Volodymyr Zelenskky’s message hasn’t wavered since Russia invaded his country in February 2022. Over and over, he’s told Ukraine’s allies: Give us the tools, and we will finish the job.
His wife, Olena Zelenska, has delivered the same message, a striking contrast with the stance of American first ladies who try to soften their husbands’ images with chatty family stories.
Several pivotal battles have shown the benefits of their approach. Allies’ weapons helped Ukraine retain control of Kyiv and push Russia out of Kherson and Kharkiv. This month they played a role in the counteroffensive that pierced a defensive line in the southeast.
But the focus on weapons may help to explain why, on world’s stage, Ukraine’s need for guns, drones, and F-16 fighter jets has upstaged something equally urgent: its growing first-aid crisis.