Zelenskyy channels Churchill in speech declaring Ukraine will ‘not give up’
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy addresses British Parliament.
As Russian forces solidify their stranglehold on Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must be prepared to stand up a government in exile if the capital falls.
Vlad the Invader seeks to install a puppet regime in Kyiv as soon as his tanks and troops occupy the city. At that point, it will be too late for Zelenskyy, or any of his senior ministers, to escape death or captivity.
War demands hard choices. And now President Zelenskyy faces a dramatic stay-or-leave decision as the Russian army converges upon him.
UKRAINE'S FIGHTING COSSACK SPIRIT – STALINIST PUTIN WON'T PREVAIL
Zelenskyy has shown tremendous courage by staying in Kiev since Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this month. His decision clearly stiffened the will of the Ukrainian military to resist and inspired ordinary citizens to take up arms.
But there is something to be said for living to fight another day. The decision to relocate is not the same as raising a white flag. Far from it. It would represent a prudential choice to continue the fight from a more secure foxhole.
No one faulted Charles de Gaulle when he established a government in exile in London during World War II. Nor was he alone. Eight other allied governments, to include Norway, Belgium and Poland, set up shop in London, helping to mobilize military forces in exile to liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny.
Closer to home, recall that President James Madison left the White House for a spell as the British torched Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812.
No one should begrudge Zelenskyy now if he decides to set up camp elsewhere.
No one should begrudge Zelenskyy now if he decides to set up camp elsewhere. He has already earned his street cred as a national leader. As so-called target number one, he has endured great personal risk since day one of the Russian invasion.
What are the options if he decides to relocate? Zelenskyy could relocate to the western part of Ukraine, the only part of the country that has remained relatively unscathed from Russian attack so far. But this would likely buy his government only a few days before the Russian armored columns pivot in hot pursuit.
There are other alternatives. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already extended an invitation to Zelenskyy. If not London, then perhaps someplace closer to Ukraine might do. Warsaw could be an attractive option, since Poland borders Zelenskyy’s home country and has already accepted a record number of Ukrainian refugees.
Zelenskyy is his own man. He may well choose to resist until death in Kyiv. If so, he will die a hero’s death. Or he may opt to continue the resistance from elsewhere.
"I need ammunition, not a ride," he famously declared a few days ago. Well, he has successfully secured ammunition for the resistance, with weapons pouring in from the United States, Canada and numerous European countries (even Germany has joined!).
What the Ukraine government needs most right now is to ensure its own survival given the increasingly barbaric Russian onslaught. Whether he stays in Kyiv or not, Zelenskyy must lay the groundwork for a government in exile, to ensure his government survives if Kyiv falls to the invader.
A government in exile will help ensure that Ukraine maintains its proper seat in international fora, to include the United Nations.
The government in exile can also spearhead the international effort to support the resistance with Ukraine, as well as a humanitarian assistance campaign to deal with the impact of Moscow’s naked aggression. Zelenskyy, or his designated successor, will have the freedom to rally support around the globe. In contrast, Putin will likely remain holed up in Moscow or one his secret lairs, an international pariah.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE OPINION NEWSLETTER
Setting up a government-in-exile for a country of more than 40 million people is no small feat. Beyond providing diplomatic support and defensive weaponry to Ukraine, the United States should be prepared to assist a government in exile with immediate assistance -- computers, secure communications, office equipment and security -- wherever Zelenskyy directs his government to set up camp.
Whatever his decision, President Zelenskyy has already left his mark on history with his exemplary courage. By setting up a government in exile, he will help to ensure his country’s future.