Zelensky the Maccabee

President Zelensky’s address to the British Parliament, via video link, in which he described the resilience of the Ukrainian people, the loss of life, and Russian indiscriminate bombing of civilian targets was received by MPs in respectful silence. He echoed the words of  Sir Winston Churchill about taking the fight to the enemy wherever he may be, and thanked Boris Johnson for his support in opposing Russian aggression, pleading that the UK and her Allies continue to exert the maximum pressure on the Putin regime.

Zelensky has grown in stature since the Russian invasion, from a little-known head of state to a fearless fighter on behalf of his people; he refuses to abandon Kyiv, knowing, if captured by the Russian,  he faces a grim future. 

There is no doubt that sanctions against Russia are beginning to bite, and with more companies pulling their operations out of that country, and with the USA stating it will not buy Russian oil and the EU flagging it will work to make the trading block no longer dependent on Russian gas, the future for the Russian economy is looking bleak. With mounting pressure from his oligarch buddies, who cannot be happy with the downturn in their fortunes, Putin may be forced to the negotiating table. I believe there are already signs of him seeking a way out of this Ill-fated adventure.