In the last few weeks, the largest armed conflict in Europe since the second World War has begun. Vladimir Putin’s Russia has invaded Ukraine. Putin was president from 2000-2008 and was reelected in 2012, he has held the position since. 

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, a former actor and comedian, is the president of Ukraine. Elected in 2019, Zelenskyy is putting up quite the fight against Putin. Russia, a country that is 28 times as large as Ukraine, has been given a thorough run for their money in the first weeks of their brutal invasion. 

The Ukrainian army may be smaller and less trained than Russia’s, but Zelenskyy’s leadership has served as an inspiration for not only his soldiers but his people. Nearly every Ukrainian citizen is fighting against their Russian invaders. Children manufacture molotov cocktails with smiles on their faces, teachers take up arms,  and doctors and nurses become wartime medics.

At first, Zelenskyy was joked about and made fun of, as he was a comedian before becoming president. However, he has proven himself to be a truly excellent wartime president, while Putin has proven to be nothing but a power-tripping tyrant. President Zelenskyy has brought the European Parliament to a standing ovation, and several interpreters to tears. Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign minister made roughly 100 representatives walk out of a human rights committee meeting.

It has become abundantly clear that, despite his decidedly apolitical background, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is more than fit to lead Ukraine. Vladimir Putin is a dictatorial menace, hellbent on crushing his opposition into submission. Putin has turned what was once a beautiful, culturally stunning country into what is essentially a terrorist organization. I stand with Ukraine, and if  I was old enough, I would undoubtedly join the droves of foreign volunteers crossing oceans to fight against the oppressive Russian regime.