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Meeting with the President of Ukraine at the secret base

As the white metal gate creaked open, an aide to President Zelensky told the group of reporters “welcome to this fortress”.

There were sandbags everywhere, piled between rows of pine trees. Snipers are deployed in all directions, in addition to large air defense systems. As the gate closed, a soldier picked up a vertushka, a Soviet-era secure desk phone, to receive further instructions.

“We entered the side door, then escorted inside through dark corridors and stairs, into the depths of Ukraine’s operational command headquarters,” said Oliver Carroll, editor of the group. Economiston March 27 told about a recent visit to the secret workplace of the wartime President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Carroll had previously taken almost an hour through a route lined with anti-tank barricades, checkpoints and guards to reach the gate of the “fortress” where President Zelensky was. Upon entering the premises, Carroll’s team was required to place all items that could be used for location such as phones, electronic devices and pens, and to go through security scanners.

After walking through the dark corridors, Caroll’s group arrived at the Ukrainian operations room. It resembles a regular meeting room, with a white formica table, recliners and large screens, but with two signs that read in yellow “Office of the President of Ukraine” on a blue background.

Over the past four weeks, this scene has become familiar through Mr. Zelensky’s videos and photos on social media.





President Volodymyr Zelensky at a secret base in Ukraine.  Photo: Econimist.

President Volodymyr Zelensky at the war room in Ukraine. Photo: Econimist.

Then, a soldier with a serious face entered and shouted “Strict!”. About two seconds later, President Zelensky entered the room, accompanied by a number of bodyguards carrying rifles. Mr. Zelensky sat down in a chair at the head of the table, in front of a carefully hung Ukrainian flag, and began to talk.

Before becoming President, Mr. Zelensky was a comedian. He was elected not for his policies, but for his commitment to fighting corruption in Ukraine. In his early days as President, he seemed uncomfortable when faced with difficult questions from the press, even becoming irritable.

But now he is at the helm Ukraine dealing with Russia’s special military operation. When the military conflict broke out, Mr. Zelensky immediately removed his dark suit and replaced it with army green T-shirts. He was equipped with two field suits, one for winter and one for spring, to visit soldiers on the front lines. “I have them, just not many,” he said.

He is taking on the role of a wartime president well. Although tired and worried, President Zelensky still showed calm. He shook people’s hands and bent down to make eye contact with them. President Zelensky even pulled his own chair and poured water into his own plastic cup.

The President of Ukraine enthusiastically communicated with reporters and responded quickly to questions. When asked what he needed most from the West, he immediately replied “number one is an airplane. Number two is a tank, but it’s actually number one”.

But when asked a question, President Zelensky abruptly stopped. “What would a Ukrainian victory look like?” asked one reporter. He frowned and took seven seconds of thought before speaking, seemingly understanding that the lives of millions depended on his answer: “Victory is saving as many lives as possible.”

“I didn’t expect the situation to be so difficult,” he said. “You can’t imagine what it means and what you’re going to do as president.”

The special Russian military operation exposed him to unpredictable situations. He leaned back in his chair and said “I am not a hero”, but that is the achievement of the Ukrainian people.

The Ukrainian leader repeatedly mentioned the word honesty. “You have to be honest for people to believe you. You don’t have to try to get it, you have to be yourself,” he said.

The Ukrainian leader’s efforts have been widely praised, as he seeks to inspire people through videos taken from the streets of Kiev and posted on social media.

“If I don’t go out for three or four days and just stay in the office, I don’t know what’s going on in the world,” he said.

Mr. Zelensky had a “wartime government” made up of his own group of journalists, lawyers and doctors. These assistants, all dressed in military green, seem quite comfortable with each other and with their leader.

However, not everything goes smoothly. The interview of the press delegation was delayed for a long time because the interpreter of the President of Ukraine was not present. Moments later, they learned that this person was busy making an overseas call. “It’s true that something is wrong when the president’s interpreter is not with the president,” Zelensky joked.

The President of Ukraine was forced to come up with a solution himself. “If you ask in Russian, I will answer you in Russian. If you ask in English, I will answer in Ukrainian,” Zelensky said.

His assistants suggested that he answer only in Ukrainian. The President of Ukraine agrees, but does not always comply. At times, he spoke English quite well, although sometimes he had to apologize for forgetting words.

Ukraine's President denies rumors of leaving Kiev

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video posted on Instagram on March 5 at work. Video: Instagram/zelenskiy_official.

Despite the chaos, everything seemed to be going smoothly, according to Caroll. Everyone seemed to know what they had to do.

“They are continuing to work, despite the threat of air strikes at any moment. They do their jobs without waiting for the president’s approval. They are the power in this fortress,” Caroll said. .

Meanwhile, President Zelensky believes that one person cannot and should not control everything. When Ukraine faces a difficult situation, “belief in the power of individuals chosen to stand together can become Ukraine’s strong point,” Carroll said.

Thanh Tam (According to Economist)

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