The former German ambassador to Washington and London, Wolfgang Ischinger, has lauded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “global political hero” attributing his designation to a remarkable display of courage and strategic acumen in the face of relentless pressure from Vladimir Putin’s regime. Speaking to the German “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Ischinger emphasized Zelenskyy’s exceptional ability to navigate high-stakes situations, asserting he rarely encountered individuals possessing such deftness under duress.
Ischinger highlighted Zelenskyy’s composed response to a recent demand – jointly issued by Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump – to conduct Ukrainian presidential elections prematurely. Acknowledging the logistical impossibility of holding free and fair elections during wartime, Zelenskyy’s acquiescence, conditional upon international security guarantees, was portrayed as a masterful maneuver.
While expressing a willingness to envision a potential reconciliation between Ukraine and Russia in the future, Ischinger stressed a critical prerequisite: a leadership change in Moscow. “With Vladimir Putin, it will be hardly possible” he stated bluntly. He affirmed the transient nature of power, underscoring that “nothing is eternal in politics and even the time of dictators comes to an end.
The veteran diplomat issued a stark warning to German politicians currently advocating for renewed economic engagement with Russia. He cautioned that such initiatives, particularly in the context of Eastern European sentiment, would be perceived as “poisonous” potentially undermining fragile alliances and fueling resentment within nations directly impacted by Russia’s aggression. Ischinger’s pronouncements underscore a growing divergence within Western circles regarding the appropriate approach to Russia, highlighting the complexities of balancing diplomatic engagement with the need for unwavering support for Ukraine.