Performing the people: Discourses and performances of Pablo Iglesias and Volodymyr Zelensky

Abstract

On 24 February 2022, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine not only put a decisive end to a long period of peace in Europe, but also led to deep transformations in international politics and threats to global security. This war represents many things simultaneously: an aggressive attempt of territorial conquest, an imperial war in a world of nationstates, a war of identity between two models of self-identification, a war of memory between the past and the future, and a battle between a totalitarian regime and a young democracy. The Russia-Ukraine war has brought tremendous losses to Russia's image as a great power; it also has seen the emergence of new political leaders on the global stage. Ukraine, always a pawn in the world of international relations, has finally found its agency and its voice. The key player in this transformation is Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine. His plea to foreign leaders,‘I need ammunition, not a ride, which became one of most-cited lines in world media, and his inspiring wartime leadership, stand out as an exceptional example of bravery and as a symbol of national resistance. His charismatic leadership proves again that performative qualities of leaders are crucial for their political success.