Left and Right Praise Ukrainian President Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received praise from across the U.S. political spectrum for his actions in the face of Russia’s invasion. 

Zelenskyy remained in Kyiv during Russian attempts to take the Ukrainian capital; when the U.S. offered to evacuate him from the city, he reportedly replied, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” The Ukrainian leader has been active on social media and regularly released videos showing himself above ground in Kyiv. As a result, several commentators praised Zelenskyy; a CNN (Left) op-ed called him “a profile in courage,” and the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board (Lean Right) said he was “proving to be the man for the moment.” The praise marks a sharp shift from a week earlier; several pre-invasion op-eds questioned if the “comedian-turned-president” was “seriously in over his head.” 

While most voices across the spectrum spoke favorably of Zelenskyy and Ukraine, voices in left-rated outlets were more likely to directly and enthusiastically praise the Ukrainian president; an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times (Lean Left) wondered if Zelenskyy was “Ukraine’s George Washington.”