The election of President Zelenskyy in 2019.

Small British Liberal political magazine Liberator republished the article I wrote in 2019 about President Zelenskyy’s victory that I had forgotten that I wrote. The pdf of the magazine, Liberator issue 412 can be downloaded here
https://liberatormagazine.org.uk/back-issues/

The blurb says
Liberator 412 can be downloaded here . This is the April 2022 online-only edition of Liberator and we hope you enjoy reading it.
What’s inside this issue?
Alongside Radical Bulletin, Commentary and Letters, Liberator 412 includes:
UKRAINE’S COMEDIAN PRESIDENT IS NO COMIC.
Kiron Reid saw great hope on democracy’s eastern border in Ukraine when this article was published in Liberator 398 in November 2019 after the election of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as president. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we reprint it here, followed by some necessarily anonymous reflections on Ukraine now and the path to war from an observer who knows the country well

Reviewing this in 2022 I think that nearly every point is still valid. I could have made more critical comment on Volodymyr Zelenskyy (and in the last year too), and on his predecessor, who I like, Petro Poroshenko (I always buy his Roshen brand chocolates), and I could then & would now explain more problems with the inflexible EU trade policy towards Ukraine’s links with Russia (especially in the east) and a misguided nationalist language policy (which is getting to be quite a national myth now – ignoring that most people Russia is killing are Russian speakers). None of those points undermine the fundamental issue – that Russia invaded Ukraine unprovoked in 2014 and is carrying on unprovoked a barbaric war in 2022. In 2022. In Europe.

 

Note the original post of a text of this article, including photographs, is here: My article on the Ukraine elections, and new President, Zelenskyi. – Kiron Reid 

Recent writing.

My recent writing has been published in a few other places. And on culture, politics and history.
Shakespeare Magazine’s website on links between Georgian literature and Shakespeare. Edited by Pat Reid. With thanks to Neli Shiolashvili of the Embassy of Georgia, and Armand Wang of the British Georgian Society.
http://www.shakespearemagazine.com/2016/12/could-shakespeares-cymbeline-have-been-influenced-by-rustaveli-the-national-poet-of-georgia-was-the-question-asked-in-a-packed-lecture-room-at-londons-royal-asiat/
““Could Shakespeare’s Cymbeline have been influenced by Rustaveli, the national poet of Georgia?” was the question asked in a packed lecture room at London’s Royal Asiatic Society”

Liberator magazine, on the Parliamentary elections in Georgia, October 2016. Edited by Mark Smulian. ‘Georgia’s democracy finds it feet’. Issue 382, January 2017. Pages 18 – 20. Print edition out, available now to e-subscribers, and online on the website next month. liberator-382

InterLib, the Journal of Liberal International (British Group) on some cultural and political reflections about Georgia. 2017, no. 1. Edited by Stewart Rayment. ‘Some culture and politics of Georgia’ pp. 9 – 11. https://libg.co.uk/en/document/interlib-january-2017

The New European newspaper on the British International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War Battle of Jarama, 80 years ago this month. Issue 30, February 3 2017. Pages 34 – 35, ’80 years since Jarama: Battle’s tale echoes today’. Edited by Jasper Copping. Published in print edition, and digital copy available to e-subscribers. The New European Jarama

With thanks to the editors, sites and publications.

Shakespeare Magazine
Liberator magazine
Liberal International British Group
The New European