Zelenskyy, New Global Leader, Fortunately Takes the Relay Baton from Trump

“Leaders aren't born, they are made. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal which is worthwhile:” Vince Lombardi.

It took Russia’s latest war against Ukraine to transform the vast majority of Ukrainians into patriots, the ambush in the Oval Office, and this year’s conference in Davos to propel President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine to their rightful pinnacles among the free nations and leaders of the world.

That belief is circulating today among opinion makers, thought leaders, and influencers.

Over the years, I have enunciated that the free world is in dire need of a new leader, one who knows his or her place in the political and ideological timeline of mankind and isn’t afraid to defend kindred nations against the single evil enemy – Russia. In an earlier blog in the wake of the 2026 Davos conference, I wrote: “There’s a New Global Leader in the Room: Zelenskyy.”

Since the war began in February 2022, Ukraine, then a definite underdog that didn’t have the numbers or cards as President Donald Trump insisted derisively to defend itself against mightier Russia, today has the skills, personnel, equipment, and track record to convince the international community that it can at least force Moscow into its defensive stalemate.

This historical achievement, by the latest second mightiest army in the world, was the hard effort and price that Zelenskyy paid to reach this goal.

Columnist David French, in his column on May 2, 2026, appropriately called “Meet the New Leader of the Free World,” wrote: “A remark­able thing has happened on the world’s bat­tle­fields. Ukraine – a nation that was sup­posed to dis­solve within days of a Rus­sian inva­sion – has fought Rus­sia to a stale­mate, revo­lu­tion­iz­ing land war­fare in the pro­cess. It has become an indis­pens­able secur­ity part­ner in the west­ern alli­ance, includ­ing in the war against Iran.

Now, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Pres­id­ent, is tak­ing the next step, one that would have been unthink­able even as recently as 2024. By word and deed, he is show­ing Europe and the world how the post-Amer­ican free world can pre­serve its liberty and inde­pend­ence. This is what hap­pens when, as Phil­lips Payson O’Brien wrote in a piece for The Atlantic, ‘Kyiv appears to have given up on the United States.’”

French ominously summed this up by writing: “If that is true, it may be worse news for the United States than it is for Ukraine.”

Gone are the derogatory quips about the lack of Ukraine’s battlefield prowess and antiquated weapons. French noted: “It is no longer accur­ate to think of Ukraine as a des­per­ate under­dog; it is becom­ing an inde­pend­ent power. Even as it fights for its life against Rus­sia, it is reportedly reach­ing defense deals with the Gulf states and with the United States – and this time it’s Ukraine that’s provid­ing mil­it­ary assist­ance.”

Ukrainian drones have undeniably signaled to all observers that its military-industrial expertise, developed an accurate, deadly aerial device that can travel some 1,000 kilometers and destroy its target deep in Russia that is better than world class. News reports indicated that Ukraine’s drones have shaken Russia to the core. A Russian-language notice on the web urged local residents to pack up and leave for their own safety.

I have previously argued that Ukraine is the most fitting country to join the ranks of NATO because the anti-Russian alliance can certainly benefit from its skills. French also drew attention to this: “The largest and most battle-hardened land force in the west­ern world may be the Ukrain­ian Army. The Atlantic Coun­cil estim­ated in 2025 that Ukraine had roughly a mil­lion men and women under arms, the vast major­ity of whom serve in the ground forces.”

As President Donald Trump is cutting off his nose to spite his face on the global stage, President Zelenskyy is building allies and alliances that can be used as a legitimate and practical bulwark against Russian aggression.

At a time when America’s traditional European allies publicly doubt Washington's commitment to their safety and security, President Zelenskyy has composed a significant defensive and battle plan not only to protect Europe but also to defend specifically against Russia’s aggression.

Alluding to his recent calls for the establishment of a European army, Zelenskyy said at the Davos conference: “Europe needs to know how to defend itself.” He continued: “Next point. I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it again: Europe needs united armed forces – forces that can truly defend Europe. Today, Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes, NATO will act. But no one has really seen the Alliance in action. If Putin decides to take Lithuania or strike Poland, who will respond? Who will respond?”

Furthermore, the danger posed by imperial Russia is enhanced by a clear boundary like the one enjoyed by the United States. “Let’s not forget – there’s no ocean separating European countries from Russia. And European leaders should remember this – battles involving North Korean soldiers are now happening in places geographically closer to Davos than to Pyongyang,” he said.

French showed how European nations are preparing to defend themselves against Russian aggression in case Washington backs down. He pointed out that Zelenskyy has pro­posed a new defense arrange­ment for Europe — an alli­ance between E.U. nations, plus non-E.U. powers like the United King­dom, Nor­way, Tur­key and Ukraine. That scenario resembles my suggestion that the former captive nations should form their own alliance based on the wartime Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations. After all, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine have already formed their own military and political alliance.

According to French, Zelenskyy is indeed his own protagonist, garnering the support not only of European nations and their leaders but, more importantly, his own nation. It has been said that when Russian soldiers crossed the border into Ukraine, Putin immediately united the nation. Men, women and children, professionals and craftsmen, youth and adults, Catholics, Orthodox, Jews, Protestants, Muslims, city dwellers and farmers – all became Ukrainians united in a singular mission – defeat and expel the aggressor.

French also recognized this: “His­tory has its hinge points, and here is one: On Feb­ru­ary 25, 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video from Kyiv. He told the people of Ukraine that the gov­ern­ment has not fled to safety in the west and that it inten­ded to stand and fight.

“‘We are here,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘We are in Kyiv. We are pro­tect­ing Ukraine.’

“When I vis­ited Ukraine in 2023, I spoke to Ukrain­ian sol­diers who told me that state­ment sent a jolt of elec­tri­city through Ukrain­ian lines. From that moment, they knew they would not sur­render.

“In hind­sight, that decision hasn’t just changed the course of Ukrain­ian his­tory. Its effects are extend­ing across the globe.”

As America’s sun is setting thanks to the misguided, jingoistic policies of Donald J. Trump and his team that will not benefit America, Europe, and Ukraine, it is fortunate that Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine are on the front lines.

“For the first time in my adult life, the moral and stra­tegic heart of the defense of lib­eral demo­cracy doesn’t beat in Wash­ing­ton. It doesn’t beat in Paris or Ber­lin or Ott­awa, either. It’s in Kyiv, where a cour­ageous leader and a cour­ageous people have picked up the torch Amer­ica has dropped.” Freeman concluded.