Thread by @shaunjlawson

Some people on my timeline are complaining about the idolisation of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Don't people appreciate the gruesome realities of war, they ask?

Yes. We do. And it's BECAUSE we do that said idolisation is actually, healthy. Even, believe it or not, humour is.

This is an extremely frightening time for most people. In war, soldiers, civilians and mere onlookers have always sought ways to keep their spirits up.

What's happening online now, in other words, has always happened offline, for very human and necessary reasons.

In this case, here we have someone with an extraordinarily unusual life story. Who really *is* an ordinary guy with extraordinary skills.

Who dances, who tells jokes, who came into politics as an absolute outsider... and who has united not just his people, but the world.

The reason sanctions have been ratcheted up so astronomically so fast is his leadership. EU leaders and officials have privately confirmed that. He, personally, has shaken them out of their complacency and stupor with his passion, courage. integrity, charisma and urgency.

Do you know what would've happened if just another grey, dreary leader had been in charge of Ukraine?

More than likely, business as usual. Realpolitik. "Oh, we'd love to help you, but the markets are all that matter to us. Can't have our people making any sacrifices".

Do you know what would've happened if just another Chamberlain type had replaced him in May 1940? It doesn't even bear thinking about.

Europe's greatest modern war leader combined righteous fury, total defiance, an astonishing mastery of the English language and impish humour.

His celebrated 'V' sign was itself a message of what he and his country were all about... and funny. Because it was pointed AT Nazi Germany. Both 'Victory!' AND 'up yours'.

And what he was all about inspired people. Hundreds of millions of them all over the world.

Churchill, of course, had feet of clay.

So at a time Allied forces and civilians the world over were fighting for their lives, what good does anyone think it would've done to focus on those feet of clay - those many skeletons in his closet - rather than lauding his leadership?

That leadership was an inspiration. In spite of everything else he'd done... including many awful things.

Britain, too, was once alone. Isolated. Cut off. Running out of food and supplies. Facing impending doom.

Many things helped change that, but he was certainly among them.

People do not stay together, stay united, stay firm in their belief that they will survive and better times will come if all they do is moan, complain and look on the black side of life.

They need lighter moments even at the darkest possible times.

Something else too. As was confirmed over the weekend, it's very possible that the heroes on Snake Island actually survived: that is to say, they surrendered.

It's also pretty likely that it wasn't a Ukrainian farmer towing away that Russian tank either.

Does that matter? Is it vital to correct either? No.

Because central to Ukraine surviving is the morale of its people. And its supporters across the world.

We've seen so many acts of heroism; and "Russian warship, go f*** yourself" is itself an inspirational cry.

These are not normal times. This is a time of war. With a whole people facing an existential threat which could yet morph into one facing many other peoples too.

And those brave people need every single last tiny thing we can do to help them. Everything.

Which means everything governments across the world (including today, historically, Switzerland: nothing better illustrates the catastrophe Putin now faces than Switzerland effectively abandoning the very thing it's most famous for) have done and need to do a lot more of.

Which means the Ukrainian army continuing to inflict massive casualties as it defends a people who will do everything they can to do the same.

All of which brings us closer to making Putin (especially, those around him) thinking again.

Which means financial donations from as many people as possible. Which means massive humanitarian aid.

And which even includes us: privileged us, in no danger whatever, but cheering and encouraging Ukraine and showing their people that we are with them completely.

You think Putin saw this kind of unprecedented, unanimous response coming? Of course he bloody didn't.

But none of us saw it coming either. Because we reasoned without the astonishing leadership of Zelenskyy. Whose courage has utterly transformed post-Cold War Europe.

Now, it ISN'T just about trade.

Now, Germany is fully stepping up to the plate, abandoning its entirely understandable reluctance to send weapons to any war or spend on defence.

Now, historically neutral or non-aligned countries are being entirely open about their positions.

And to those who continue to castigate NATO or oppose the EU, just ask yourselves:

Why do you think the Ukrainian people elected via landslide someone who wanted to join NATO, join the EU and look not eastwards, but westwards?

It's because they share our historic values. Which so many in the West have completely forgotten over recent decades as we all fought amongst ourselves.

That's what Putin exploited. Our own decay, indifference, decadence and corruption.

Both Putin's evil and the Ukrainian leader's raw heroism has, hopefully, woken us all up to that.

He's not just the leader Ukraine needed. He's the leader we ALL needed.

God bless and Godspeed, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his glorious people.

#StandWithUkraine