KYIV – On October 10, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy set a new world record for the longest press conference ever given by a head of state – 14 hours – in a free-ranging live exchange with some 300 journalists rotating in turn to take on the Ukrainian leader.
The novel interaction with the news media in a Kyiv food court provided many insights into Mr. Zelenskyy’s thinking and plans concerning both domestic and foreign affairs. But observers said it also raised almost as many questions as the president answered.
Was this a professional showman employing a new communication gimmick, or was this a novice politician suddenly finding himself in trouble and trying to extricate himself from it? Was this a display of self-confidence and openness, or a defensive over-reaction to mounting criticism about the lack of proper contact with the news media and, in light of a wave of protests connected with perceptions of his approach to seeking peace, failure to get his messages across?