Ukraine Foreign Minister Is Wrong: Celebritization Of War Is Unhelpful. Who Visits Next? Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dog, The Rock, Sussexes? Megan/Harry With Secret Camera Crew From Netflix?

Ukraine Foreign Minister Is Wrong: Celebritiazation Of War Is Unhelpful. Who Visits Next? Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Snoop Dog, The Rock, The Sussexes?

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Mr. Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, during an interview with London, United Kingdom-based Sky News, shared that Ukraine welcomes the attention of celebrities and high-profile individuals, and the more attention those visits bring towards Ukraine, the better.   

The celebritization of the war, conflict in Ukraine devalues the sacrifices of the citizens of Ukraine.   

When there is a camera crew in tow, then the focus of the visit is upon the messenger rather than the message. 

Minister Kuleba was referencing visits to Ukraine since the 24 February 2022 attack upon Ukraine by the armed forces of the Russian Federation by the actor Mr. Sean Penn (Kyiv- twice), the actor Ms. Angelina Jolie (Lviv); who has served since 2012 as a “Special Envoy” for the United Nations High Commissions for Refugees (UNHCR) and served from 2001-2012 as an honorary “Goodwill Ambassador” for the UNHCR; the actor Liev Schreiber (Lviv); and the actor Mr. Ben Stiller (Kyiv), who has served since 2016 as a “Goodwill Ambassador” for the UNHCR.   

For the president of Ukraine to have time to coordinate carefully managed, and filmed interactions with celebrities reinforces that his time today is less valuable than the previous day.  That the war requires less of his constant vigilance.  That the war tragically has morphed and now needs as fuel the vapidity which is universal in its adhesiveness to all that is celebrity.   

Are the thoughts of Kardashian family members or Ms. Paris Hilton so truly inspiring to be worth seats on a train, rooms in a hotel, vehicles on the road so there wisdom may be displayed on the Internet-based platforms TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook?  Are the perspectives and Ms. Kim Kardashian or Ms. Hilton about the war in Ukraine truly the narrative that Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, believes best serves as his message?  Or, is the strategy simply one of numbers- a belief in the more clicks about Ukraine, the better for Ukraine? 

Volodymyr Zelensky, whose prior occupation was an actor and comedian, has a natural attraction to those with similar occupations.  His acting skills and comedic writing skills have since 24 February 2022 served him and served Ukraine successfully, mostly. 

Equally unhelpful were the recently published images of a highly-stylized Ms. Olena Zelenska, wife of President Zelensky.  Posing in expensive-looking attire with military backgrounds, including an armed guard in fatigues, further promotes that the war in Ukraine has become manageable, comfortable.   

In 2015, Vogue Magazine profiled Mrs. Asma al-Assad, wife of Bashar al-Assad, President of Syria.  The profile, with images of a stylish Mrs. al-Assad, served no benefit as it further cemented negative portrayals of the couple.  With the profile of Mrs. Zelenska, her approval ratings are high, so the risk was about lessening rather than improving.  A risk not worth taking- particularly when so many individuals and families from throughout the world are sending clothing to Ukraine and to those countries bordering Ukraine for use by refugees.    

With celebrities visiting Ukraine, and particularly receiving time with President Zelensky, there will be a further debasing of the seriousness of war.  If he is meeting for one hour with The Rock, then what is he not using that one hour to do that could end the war?  

President Zelensky should politely reject visits by celebrities- including those private sector company entrepreneurs whose focus is more about self-promotion, lending their name or the name of their company to others rather than as a means of directly providing equity investment into an enterprise.

The question that President Zelensky and representatives of the government of Ukraine should always ask individuals who visit Kyiv since 24 February 2022…. Where where they prior to 24 February 2022?  

Visits by leadership of vetted financial institutions, industrial and infrastructure companies should be welcomed.  Even then, his ministers should preside- the president has a war to stop.