Words And Actions Work

A few days go a reader asked me what difference the deluge of words we are hearing about the unfolding tragedy in Ukraine actually makes to the situation on the ground.

A valid question in these times of both instant communications and speculation regarding Putin’s intentions.

For many, words are meaningless, especially when they are not backed up by actions. 

In an emotional speech before the Canadian parliament on March 15th, Ukrainian President Zelensky touched the emotions of Canadian parliamentarians with a highly personal speech in which he asked Prime Minister Trudeau to imagine some of the attacks to which Ukraine has been subjected around well-known Canadian landmarks. 

His speech drove some parliamentarians like Green Party leader Elizabeth May to tears as she replied to the President’s excellent speech.

His words were delivered from the middle of a war zone in a country he did not abandon and that he is leading by example and with his presence. Zelensky could have left with a plane full of money as former Afghan President Ghani did last year. He could have handed Ukraine over to Russia. He could have sent his wife and children to safety, but he didn’t. Instead, he backed his words with concrete actions and has thus gained the respect and admiration of the world.

Powerful messages are at play here, and one wonders if Putin is hearing them. Not only are Zelensky’s words and actions galvanizing the world and spurring on Ukrainians, but they are also making an impact on Russia and Russians.

On March 14th, Russian newscaster Marina Ovsyannikova made an astonishing display of bravery. On a national prime time newscast viewed by millions, she appeared with a sign opposing Putin’s war and calling on Russians to protest. Many expected her to disappear after her arrest, yet her video went viral, and she was released just 24 hours later after being fined $300.00. She still faces criminal charges and a possible lengthy prison sentence.

Similarly, tens of thousands of Russians have shown their bravery by marching across Russia in favor of peace and against Putin’s war, risking lengthy jail sentences or even death.

This courage underscores the fear that powerful dictators like Putin have for simple words coupled with courageous actions. They strike fear at the heart of his regime and cannot be tolerated given their possible lethal public impact. 

Words and actions are powerful tools in the hands of those who know how to use them effectively.

And in today’s highly connected world, they can quickly make a difference.

President Zelensky has been compared to another great wartime leader Winston Churchill, whose mastery as a wordsmith was matched equally by his masterful delivery of speeches that aroused Britain during the dark days of the Battle of Britain in 1940 when words were about all that he could offer.

People around the world listened and responded to Churchill then, and they are listening and responding to President Zelensky now.

Last week, I wrote about Zelensky the communicator. 

Today I write about Zelensky the courageous and tenacious warrior, using words and actions as weapons to rally his people to what many would have called a lost cause just weeks ago.

He has rallied much of the world to fear inaction more than Putin’s threats of nuclear war.

And, one hope, he is rallying NATO leaders to modify their cautious approach before Ukraine is destroyed.

With his words and actions, Zelensky has made heroes of the Ukrainian people. He has personified bravery and courage, tenacity, and sheer will. 

The way that Ukrainian refugees have been received across Europe and soon Canada, illustrates the impact that the words and actions of the past few weeks have had on influencing public perception globally.

So, what is the value of words buttressed by bravery and action?

Words can create new perceptions in the minds of listeners or readers. They can influence and motivate change, as we have seen with Germany’s decision to reverse decades of pacifist principles to arm Ukrainians.

They have motivated Europeans, for whom migration and refugees have become almost dirty words in recent years, to change their reaction and take in millions of Ukrainians. 

In short, words coupled with action can change the minds of people and their leaders and force change. 

Edición: Laura Espejo