editorials
W e learn from the Purim story
that leadership can be thrust
upon an individual in unanticipated
ways. In Ukraine, we see that theme
playing out in real-time.

When Ukrainians elected for-
mer comedian and entertainer
Volodymyr Zelensky as their presi-
dent in 2019, we joined in welcoming
him, even as we recognized his lack
of government or leadership experi-
ence. There was also an element of
pride in our embrace — Zelensky is
Jewish, even if that was not a defin-
ing aspect of his life before his entry
into politics. And we wondered how
Zelensky, who played the president
of Ukraine for laughs on TV, would
redeem himself now that he was
elected president for real.

Following Vladimir Putin’s Russia
invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, it didn’t
take long to see that Zelensky is a
serious player, focused on leading and
defending his people. Thus, when the
Biden administration offered to help
Zelensky escape Kyiv to save himself
from anticipated targeted assassina-
tion, he is reported to have famously
responded: “The fight is here; I need
ammunition, not a ride.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets foreign journalists in Kyiv, Ukraine, on
March 3, 2022.

What Zelensky also didn’t need
was help figuring out how to use his
bully pulpit. He knew exactly what
to do. And on that stage, his perfor-
mance has been extraordinary and
inspiring. Zelensky artfully worked to
calm a terrorized nation by exuding
calm, seriousness, hope, resolve and
defiance. With the unshaved face of
an everyman and the worn camou-
flage T-shirt of a fighter, the comedian
cum politician was transformed. The
communicator found his ultimate role.

Early on, Zelensky told European
leaders that he was Russia’s No. 1
target — and that they might not see
him again alive. In short order, he
personalized a country of 44 million
people into one vulnerable man.

And in the process, he put Putin
on notice that the whole world was
watching his every move.

Zelensky also spoke to and for his
nation — with emotional yet forceful
reassurance — helping to rally confi-
dence and determination in the face
of overwhelming force and odds.

And if Zelensky’s Jewishness was a
prop before the war, it has become
the key to a whole new audience
as he pursued increased support in
Israel and in the Diaspora with the
recurring theme that “Nazism is born
in silence.”
The world has taken note. As
observed by Franklin Foer in The
Atlantic: “It is hard to think of another
recent instance in which one human
being has defied the collective expec-
tations for his behavior and provided
such an inspiring moment of service to
the people, clarifying the terms of the
conflict through his example.”
Zelensky has demonstrated
impressive skill as a public personal-
ity and leader. He shows confidence
in his people and declares his place
with them. He doesn’t hide, yet he
doesn’t pretend that he is either safe
or secure. He projects the persona,
not of an elite, but of a common
man. And he has become the voice
and the face of a victimized peo-
ple. Zelensky is Ukraine. Zelensky
is Jewish. He seems to be drawing
courage, strength and purpose from
both. JE
Uncertainty in the Iran Deal
I ran nuclear talks in Vienna have
once again hit a roadblock. This
time, they were derailed by Russia’s
demand for sanctions relief in
commercial dealings with Iran. All
the while, Iran continues to develop
its nuclear program, setting Israel
and Arab countries on edge. Then,
this past weekend, Iran sent ballistic
missiles into Iraq, striking near a U.S.

Consulate compound, highlighting
the urgency of figuring out some way
to deal with the dangerous Islamic
regime. The situation is complex and is
made even more so by the lack
of transparency regarding the new
terms being considered regard-
ing possible U.S. re-entry into the
deal. In 2015, the permanent mem-
ber countries of the United Nations
Security Council — United States,
United Kingdom, France, Russia
16 and China — plus Germany and the
European Union, signed the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action with
Iran. As part of that deal, Iran agreed
to various measures designed to
curtail the development of its nuclear
program and for inspections from the
International Atomic Energy Agency
to ensure compliance. In exchange,
Iran received some sanctions relief.

But the deal faced significant crit-
icism, with challengers arguing first
that Iran could not be trusted to
comply with its performance prom-
ises and that, in any event, parts of
the deal would eventually expire,
and second because JCPOA didn’t
address Iran’s ballistic missile pro-
gram or its funding of terrorist activ-
ities. In 2018, President Donald
Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal.

Since then, JCPOA has effectively
collapsed. MARCH 17, 2022 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
President Joe Biden made joining
an improved version of the deal
one of his campaign promises.

And for the past year, negotiators
have been involved in slow-moving
talks in Vienna seeking to achieve
that result. Before this latest delay
involving Russia, the agreement
was reportedly approaching its final
stages. But serious questions about
the new terms have been raised.

Rumors of significant financial con-
cessions to Iran, wholesale lifting
of terror designations for the Iran
Revolutionary Guard and many of its
individual leaders and limited restric-
tions on Iran’s nuclear development
activity have emerged, casting a
large cloud over public reaction to
reports of a pending agreement.

Since there has been no public dis-
closure of potential re-entry terms,
no one knows for sure.

It’s also unclear whether Congress
will have a say in approving the new
terms. Some argue that if this is an
expanded or new deal, Congress
should review it. Others assert that
if the U.S. is “simply” reentering the
previous deal, Congress has already
had its say. Those issues are prob-
ably what prompted a bipartisan
group of 21 Congress members to
send a letter to Biden last week,
expressing concern about reports
of U.S. concessions in the current
negotiation process.

JCPOA is not a deal that should
be built on rumors and whispers.

Any proposed new terms should be
made public, and Congress should
weigh in on the agreement and its
terms. If Congress approves the
deal, so be it. But moving ahead
without congressional input would
be a mistake. JE
EyePress/Newscom Zelensky’s Inspiring Leadership