Zelensky’s calculated call for planes and membership meant to warm the stonyest hearts of the EU

Even the most staunch defenders of the European Union know it lacks luster. If it seems to be run by grey-haired, down-to-earth technocrats, it’s because it’s a respected company. For example, yesterday’s visit to Brussels by Ukraine’s heroic, daring and inspiring leader, Volodymyr Zelensky, brought a rare explosion of stardust to the city.

All eyes were on Zelenskiy as he stepped into the EU bubble in his trademark military gear. A special session was convened in the European Parliament for his speech, at which he was supported by the MEPs. At the site of the EU summit, half a mile from Brussels, he too was greeted upon arrival, and even seasoned journalists pulled out their cell phones to take pictures of him.

Mr. Zelenskiy addressed all listeners – MEPs, EU leaders and journalists at the summit press conference – with high-flown, uplifting rhetoric that has already made him a role model for aspiring speechwriters.

His demands for more weapons, including jet aircraft, were not expected to be met immediately, but his visit was always more symbolic than result.

Crucially, his calls for support are laced with a language of European unity that touches even the richest hearts in Brussels.

“We are talking about aggression not only against Ukraine, but also against Europe. We are defending ourselves against the biggest anti-European force in the modern world,” Zelensky told the deputies. “Only our victory guarantees our European values. This is our Europe, these are our rules, this is our way of life. And for Ukraine, this is the way home.”

Speaking to EU leaders, he praised the bloc’s founders Robert Schuman and Jean Monnet. Component: Security”.

He also commented on how natural it was to be in the upper room and noted that he spoke Ukrainian. It was a deliberate allusion to Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which he wants to speed up, although it will most likely take several years. “Listening to the Ukrainian language will become commonplace when Ukraine becomes part of the European Union,” he said. Unlike Mr. Zelensky’s trips to London or Washington, DC, where he was a guest, in Brussels he is also an aspiring member of the club.

EU heads of state and government often have trouble spreading the European ideal. Distracted by processes and technical jargon, they can lose track. Mr. Zelenskiy is an outsider, but he described it better than anyone in the rooms with him in Brussels.

In a conversation with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, he noted that the European dream supports the Ukrainian spirit. “I hope your citizens see that European values ​​are real,” he said.