Stephen Farrell, Margaryta Chroniokondratenko, and Matthias Williams

LONDON/LVIV, Ukraine (Reuters – While the props weren’t complicated, their message was. Volodymyr Zeleskiy (Ukraine’s President) gave a video address this week to the nation. While an aircraft raid siren was blaring, he held his smartphone up to the camera.

Zelenskiy claimed that it lasted for 20 seconds, and then the wailing stopped. It can be heard for many hours, days or weeks. Our people immediately take their children and help the elderly to get to shelters…to survive from Russian bombs and missiles.

Zelenskiy, who was unhavenly and wearing his trademark green shirt, sat at his desk. He reminded the 44 million Ukrainians in just a few sentences that he was experiencing what they are going through, as well as renewing NATO’s call for a no fly zone.

Although it may become more difficult to keep the world connected over time, communicating is essential for right now.

As Russia invades Ukraine in its second month of operations, his approval rating at home has risen and he rallied support for the flag while thousands take to the streets.

His popularity abroad is not diminished by the fact that Western countries supply Ukraine weapons and assistance, accept millions of refugees and tighten Russia sanctions.

The 44-year-old is no stranger to those who worked with him.

Iuliia Medel, Zelenskiy’s spokesperson in the initial two years of his presidency, 2019-2021, said to Reuters that Zelenskiy was a former actor who put a lot into his speeches. Zelenskiy is quick to adjust.

She explained that now he could just use his smartphone to take a selfie and not care about how it looks or the lighting.

He found that a more casual setting helped him to be closer to others, because “when everybody is so suffering it would really be strange if…he tried to appear official.”

Mendel said that Zelenskiy was fond of coming up with messages and metaphors that would be useful for his audience.

As he tries to make Ukraine more resilient, he uses a combination of social media knowledge, passionate speeches, and a “tour” through the parliaments of the world to stop international anger at Moscow dissipating.

He’ll know that the world is moving on. According to Alastair Cameron, a former British Prime Minister, the world is tired.” Reuters.

“He understands that it’s important to continue finding innovative ways to ensure this issue remains at the heart of public global debate and his terms. It’s something I believe he has done well, and it only gets more difficult the further you go.”

TIGHTENING CONTROL

Zelenskiy tightens his grip on messaging home as the war drags out.

His security and defense council banned Russia-friendly parties temporarily under martial law. One of these Russian-friendly parties holds large numbers of parliament seats and has been accused of suppressing the opposition.

He also shut down all private television channels, unifying the coverage of one station.

Although Ukraine had many media outlets, major channels of television were controlled by businesses that supported competing political agendas.

Before the war, Zelenskiy was criticised by political opponents for his imposition of sanctions against TV channels that were connected to opposing figures.

The unifying TV news station broadcasts now speeches and interviews from Zelenskiy as well as selected state officials, regional mayors and other representatives of the Russian government who speak out about the dire situation in cities that have been under attack.

He has used video link to Kyiv as one of his primary modes of communicating with foreign governments.

Zelenskiy’s messages have sometimes been blunt.

Zelenskiy presented a video that showed the impact of Russian bombs on Ukraine. Zelenskiy also played footage showing the deaths and injuries to children, families, and streets.

Zelenskiy then called out U.S. president Joe Biden. “You are leader of the country, of your great national. Your leadership is my wish. To be the leader in the world is to lead peace.

Diplomats have dismissed the request of Mr. Putin that NATO members establish a no fly zone above Ukraine as unpractical because it could lead to direct confrontation between NATO and Russia.

Zelenskiy (a Jewish man who lost relatives in the Holocaust) addressed Israel’s Knesset and compared Russia’s war with Nazi Germany’s murder of Jews. He also asked Israel to provide its Iron Dome defense system for protecting Ukrainian cities.

There was a lot of backlash against the reference and the Israeli government refused to grant Ukraine’s request.

An impassioned Zelenskiy, speaking in English, used his nightly video as a way to appeal to the people and bypass world leaders on the day of the one month anniversary.

He urged the Ukrainian people to resist what he described as Moscow’s war against freedom, and cast the conflict not just for Ukraine but also for Europe.

“Speaking FROM YOUR HEART”

Campbell considers Zelenskiy’s “senses of authenticity” to be an important communication tool.

He said, “You can feel that he is someone who speaks from his heart and without getting too emotional.”

During his address to the U.S. Congress, President Obama invoked William Shakespeare as a playwright and Winston Churchill’s speeches during World War Two.

Addressing the Japanese National Diet on Wednesday, he referred to Ukraine’s Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the prospect of Russia waging chemical warfare – resonant in Japan which suffered the Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 and the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.

Zelenskiy, a comedian and former president of a TV show before entering politics has been suddenly thrust into an entirely different role.

It was in 2019. He was a judge at a comedy contest. He spoke with Reuters three years later in March, in a city that was under attack. His safety was assured by armed soldiers and rooms containing sandbags.

However, certain elements of his messages have not changed.

Zelenskiy, a political outcast in 2019, ran for President using social media and video to communicate with voters.

When he was elected to office, he brought along people from television and media as advisers and officials. When Reuters inquired about his communication strategy, one of his closest friends declined to answer.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko is now the deputy head Zelenskiy’s office. He founded a company which produced campaign ads. In his entourage are also his strong chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Prime Minister Denys shmygal. David Arakhamia is the head of the party’s faction in Parliament.

On Instagram, a video in which he introduces his team at the beginning of the conflict was viewed close to 15 million times.

“EVERYMAN” PRESIDENT

Zelenskiy seems to be communicating well at home. The Rating research group found that the President’s approval rating has increased to 91% since December. However, 93% believe the Ukrainians will win the war.

It’s brought Ukrainians together like TetianaPopova, who is part of Ukraine’s Council on Freedom of Speech and Protection of Journalists.

Popova was the deputy minister under Zelenskiy.

Popova remembers the shaking of her house from Russian bombing while her nine year old child slept. Panicked, Popova sent her daughter into Poland with the intention of staying in Ukraine. However, Zelenskiy’s television appearance made her feel calmer.

“I believe that we can, and we will persevere, and we will succeed,” said the President. “This thought hit me as the President is currently in Kyiv.”

Zelenskiy was outgunned in battle by an even larger Russian army. However, he has managed to strike a delicate balance: persuading Western allies that Ukraine needs air defenses and missiles; while convincing the Ukrainians that they will win.

Such messaging – Ukraine is smaller and needs help but will also win – is reflected in posters and signs that have appeared on the streets of Lviv.

The one above the map shows tiny, defiant Ukraine. A second reads: “DAVID Vs. GOLIATH.”

(Matthias Williams was in London, Margaryta Chonokondratenko from Lviv and Stephen Farrell from Lviv. Additional reporting from Reuters bureau Lviv. Writing by Matthias Williams. Editing by Mike Collett – White.