"I like the dreams of the future more than the history of the past" — said Thomas Jefferson
"New faces" is a strategy used and abused by many political experts world over, in every election. Fatigue from politics happens in the most democratic of societies. It is embedded in the psychological types of a significant share of people – thusly voters too.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_no_return
We all have some friends and family members who like a bit of nagging and whining. Some of them simply choose to be miserable all the time – some have occasional fists of pessimism. But one thing this type shares – is that nothing is ever good enough for them. The politicians are bad, the weather is too hot or too cold, the doctors are incompetent and so on.
"New faces and fresh blood" rhetoric always echoes with this segment of electorate – whereby the future can be changed only by means of new "untainted" individuals, as they have suffered enough from the old ones.
They like the dreams of the future more, than the history of the past.
The new faces of Ukrainian politics have emerged in order to gain weight for the times of Parliamentary elections so that to strengthen the standing of the old faces. But for many reasons, those new faces echoed with too many people and started to gain popularity substantial enough to enter the top of the Presidential elections rankings.
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Nations world over have the memory span of a fish when it comes to politics. They don"t appreciate what they have, forget all the achievements, quickly get accustomed to the new levels of living and start taking them for granted.
Ukrainian people are no exception. We too have quickly got used to travelling abroad without having to spend weeks in the hunt for visa, spending money and time chasing for the coveted stamp. We, too, got used to Ukrainian being now spoken on TV and radio in overwhelmingly bigger percentage of airtime. We too, took for granted the fact, that Ukrainian church is now equal amongst equals. And we take it all for granted now.
Just as we take for given, that there are no tanks on the streets of Kyiv.
Many Ukrainians, as it turns out, want new faces. The faces with proven record of achievements and otherwise are not good enough – as those achievements have already been integrated into their lives and are taken for granted.
But the major question is: can Ukraine still slide back into the welcoming embrace of Russia?
After the Tomos?
After the increase of Ukrainian language quotes on air to 75% from 25%?
After the Visa-free status?
After all the upgrades the army has gone through?
13 thousand lives of our best men after?
Could we still slide back into the welcoming embrace of Russia and revert the pro-European vector?
It looks like indeed. The new faces seem to be embracing the idea of negotiations with Putin. Mr. Zelenskiy primitively suggests, all it takes – is just to stop shooting. Just sit down and talk it over. After – no more shooting. Simple as that. Negotiate with Putin.
Negotiate. With. Putin.
Putin, president of the country, who signed Budapest memorandum about Ukraine"s territorial sovereignty and then annexed part of Ukraine. Putin, who invited the entire Polish political, cultural, military, religious elite to Smolensk to commemorate 75thanniversary of the Katyn tragedy only to have them all lose their lives in one go in an alleged plane crush accident with now discovered traces of TNT. Putin, whose 2 secret service men went sightseeing in Salisbury. Putin, whose state successfully meddled in the American Presidential elections via Cambridge Analytica and Mr. Manafort and had political rookie and populist showmen Mr. Trump elected as President for the nation, who used to be the epicentre and stronghold of global democracy.
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Mr. Zelenskiy wants. to negotiate. with. this. Putin.
Mr. Zelenskiy, who will have neither power no any real leverage until after the Parliamentary elections in half a year. Mr. Zelenskiy, whose victory will mean Ukraine will sink into political abyss and chaos for half a year.
It took Putin just a few days to annex Crimea, when Ukraine was headless. A much smaller in every meaning country had no President at all in place and Putin took advantage of the situation to get what he had always wanted — despite the obligations his country undertook towards Ukraine in Budapest, when Ukraine gave up 3rdlargest nuclear arsenal in exchange for guarantee of its territorial sovereignty.
Putin"s word cannot be trusted. Russia"s signature on a piece of paper means nothing. However impressive the paper. This is the state, Mr. Zelenskiy wants to negotiate with. This is the President he wants to reach agreement with.
Despite Russia will never as much as sit down at a negotiations table – as this would mean they admit Russia is involved in the conflict in the first place. All the Russian meddling in the conflict has been unofficial – all the support – financial, military, informational – has been a top secret. Mr. Zelenskiy somehow thinks, he can turn this over and make Russia sit down at a negotiation table.
If Mr. Zelenskiy wins the Ukrainian elections, this showman will not be the first showman getting to Presidential chair, whose candidacy is oh-so-favourable for Putin. But Ukraine does not have the institutions as strong as America does. Ukraine has no system of checks and balances. Weak Ukraine is as much of a dream for Putin as weak USA and weak Europe.
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Brexit, Yellow Vests movement, Cambridge Analytica meddling in the USA elections – are just a few of the successful missions performed by Russia on the geopolitical stage. If Mr. Zelenskiy wins – this will be no surprise.
If Mr. Zelenskiy wins – this will be the waste of 13 thousand universes, who died for the free independent Ukraine. If populist card ends up on top – this may turn Ukraine once again away from Europe towards Russia.
Ukraine has not yet reached the Point of No Return when it comes to pro-European choice. Those with political fatigue and poor political memory, pushed towards the populist choice via a naive movie, can still turn Ukraine back towards a welcoming Russia"s embrace. In fact, weak Europe and weak USA missions are so complete for Putin. Weak Ukraine is the next one to tick off his bucket list.
For that tick off not to take place, it is important for Ukrainian people to use the power of a tick wisely this weekend.
Winston Churchill once said: "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it"
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