Volodymyr Zelensky’s Presidential Rhetoric as a Strategic Resource

Abstract

The article exposes Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidential rhetoric as a strategic resource in Ukraine’s confrontation with the Russian aggressor after 24.02.2022. By grasping varied aspects of political communication exercised by the Ukrainian president, we try to explain how and why the Ukrainian state is capable of creating an effective communication campaign in times of being invaded by its powerful neighbor. According to our assumptions, it is particularly a matter of 1. clarity and relevance of goals that the head of Ukraine wants to achieve through his rhetoric, 2. inclusiveness of the formula that Zelenskyy uses to demonstrate the essence of being Ukrainian and contributing to Ukrainian culture; 3. his artistic proficiency which helps him in identifying the proper means of persuading broad audiences to his narrative and agenda.

To verify the accuracy of the hypotheses, we employed theoretical concepts of logos, ethos, and pathos in the course of analysing chosen speeches delivered by the Ukrainian president. Moreover, the notions of “facilitating leadership” proposed by George C. Edwards III, and the “Medici Effect” coined by Frans Johansson are involved.

The outcomes of the work confirmed our expectations. The high quality and strategic meaning of Zelenskyy’s statements after 24.02.2022 come from three main sources, i.e., 1. transparent and justified message; 2. the unifying qualities of the speaker; 3. his persuasive skilfulness.