Why travel to meet?why not via video link? Seems unusual. And aren’t they all putting themselves and zelensky at risk by being more visible?
Its a risk but I'd guess a calculated one.
The security assessments are all saying that Russia can not advance further at this moment in time to Kyiv. The Ukrainians are holding steady and there hasn't been movement for several days. The most they can do is bomb in the meantime.
And theres been missile and plane counting going on. They clearly think the Russians don't currently have the capability in place to burn Kyiv to the ground like they have in other places. At least not yet.
This creates a bit of a problem for Putin too though. Can he risk the killing of these leaders? If he does, even if its in a warzone, he is seriously risking 'an incident' with NATO. They've publicly announced they are going afterall. Is that what he wants? I doubt it. An 'accidental' war is always the risk here, but I do not believe that Putin wants to do anything thats not on his terms either.
The leaders will be wanting to look Zelensky in the eye, cos quite frankly its starting to look a bit awkward. Them going to him is necessary rather than him looking like he's constantly begging. They are giving him power and a photo op to keep morale up, rather than him having to do all the leg work. Plus they know the risk of them having to 'do a Zelensky' if they don't win this and get this right. Its much easier and safer to do it for a one off than for 20 days and nights (and however long it takes). If Zelensky leaves, its a gift to the Russians to say he's fled and gives them the opportunity to declare another leader.
My guess is this will continue for sometime but the priority for the Russian now if they are running out of firepower is to consolidate and to try to legitimise what they have. Thats suppression, people disappearing and stooges installed. Then talk of 'referendums'
I note the following:
Anna Myroniuk @AnnaMyroniuk
1/5 Amid attempts of the Russian army to hold a fake referendum in occupied Kherson and launch a so-called People’s Republic there — the exact thing Russia did to Crimea, Donetsk & Luhansk in 2014 to “justify” its invasion — I want to tell you a story.
2/5 It is about western journalists and their patronizing behavior as if they know better what really happens in Ukraine. A few years ago I was at a lecture on journalism ethics at City, UoL. The guest lecturer, then-Sky News anchor and reporter Andrew Wilson, was speaking.
3/5 “You must be impartial in your reporting,” Wilson said. And I agree. But then he said something that made me tremble. Talking about standards, balance, and unbiasedness when reporting on conflicts, he said: “In Crimea people voted to be with Russia. That’s their choice.”
4/5 He said, it’s the decision of Crimea we must respect. Two students raised their hands. I, a Ukrainian, & Tata, a Georgian. We both said that he was dead wrong. I added that any “vote” held by the occupying force on the seized territory is illegitimate, NOT free or democratic.
5/5 He cut me off saying “it’s polemic” and moved on. As Russia intensifies its attempts to bite parts of my country and forge "referendums" to justify it, I can’t help but think of Wilson's words. I want western journalists do their research better and watch what they say.
Journalism is about checking the weather rather than accepting different people have different opinions about the weather. Yet this seems to have been utterly forgotten in the hubris of having to 'be kind' or 'be inclusive'. Its fucked in the head. If a dickhead goes murdering people, you don't do balanced arguement about how he was a nice bloke on Tuesdays and is simply misunderstood.
Another example:
Natalia Antonova @NataliaAntonova
Putin: “I’d like the Russian Empire back. I am building up troops. Now I am invading my sovereign neighbor. Now my troops are targeting civilians.”
People on Twitter: “Who knows what he wants? The Russian soul is mysterious. And anyway, there’s two sides to everything.”
So how this 'legitimisation' process is reported matters. And the tone we give to the 'misunderstood' matters.
This isn't about NATO. Its about Putin and Putin's power and it always has been.
By the same token, foreign leaders going to Zelensky, give him legitimacy too. At a crucial point. Zelensky himself looks tired and desparate. And quite frankly in need of a hug. He needs a pick me up, so he can carry on.