Following speeches in the European Parliament, the United Kingdom and the Canadian Parliament, Ukrainian President Zelens delivered a video speech to the US Congress on Wednesday (16th) local time. Zelensky "communicated" with U.S. lawmakers via video link and reiterated calls for a "no-fly zone" over Uzbekistan, but still did not get any response from the U.S. side.
Some are more interested in Zelensky's T-shirt than in his "speech that brought U.S. members of Congress to tears."
According to foreign media reports on the 16th, when Zelensky delivered a speech, Peter Schiff, an American investor, CEO and chief economist of Europacific Capital, publicly criticized his dress on social media, accusing him of not wearing formal clothes, and then being bombarded by netizens.
↑ On Wednesday (16th) local time, Ukrainian President Zelensky delivered a video speech in the US Congress.
At the same time, many netizens also noticed the dark green T-shirt that Zelensky has been wearing since the conflict, as well as the logo printed on it.
American economist: Dressing casually during congressional speeches is disrespectful to the United States.
According to reports, on the 16th, Schiff posted on Twitter that Zelensky could have dressed more formally when he gave his speech. "Not wearing a suit is disrespectful to the United States, it is inappropriate." "I know it's hard now, but doesn't this guy in Ukraine also have a suit?" I don't respect the current U.S. congressman, but I still don't wear a T-shirt and talk to them. I don't want to be disrespectful to this body or the United States. He wrote on Twitter.
However, his remarks on Twitter were "crazy". Olga Lautmann, a senior fellow at the European Centre for Policy Analysis, responded, "Are you kidding? Another political analyst, Cherie Jacobs, wrote: "Delete this tweet immediately." Meanwhile, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Moi Davis tweeted, "Seriously! A person is being attacked, and will someone criticize his wardrobe? ”
Schiff declined to delete the tweet and has stuck to his point, saying "he doesn't need ironing." I'm sure he had a clean suit and a T-shirt hanging in the same closet. In addition, even if you don't have a suitable suit, you can buy a long-sleeved shirt with a collar. He also said that because Zelensky had time to comb his hair, shave and "dress up," he could "wear something more formal than a T-shirt." That's all my advice. "
Zelensky's "Too Hard to Build Artificial Structures"?
In fact, Zelensky's high-rate military green T-shirt has long attracted global attention.
In the last week of February, when Russian troops gathered nearly 200,000 troops on the Russian-Ukrainian border, Zelensky spoke publicly in dark suits, clean white shirts and color-matched ties, according to foreign media reports. At the time he looked no different from most politicians in Western countries.
↑ After Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine on February 24, Zelensky wore a military green T-shirt.
Zelensky's suit disappeared after Russia launched a special military operation against Ukraine on February 24. In its place, khaki military jackets, army green T-shirts and full beards are interpreted as showing the outside world the image of a "wartime president."
Foreign media analysis pointed out that the actor Zelensky is obviously good at "shaping a visual narrative", convincing the public through his "imperfect" fragile image and simple narrative.
Some media also reported on March 2 that Zelensky did not arbitrarily choose "which uniform to wear today", but established himself as a "soldier of soldiers" on the international stage. Moreover, this army green T-shirt represents the Ukrainian army, militia and civilians. During the war years, the message was self-evident.
But for the current war situation, his "performance" may be a bit excessive. "But is it necessary to wear short sleeves?" Why wear short sleeves in winter? Some netizens asked incomprehensibly. He said the summer uniform was more suitable for soldiers in South American countries, but less in harmony with Ukrainians waiting for trains to escape the fighting and brave the bitter cold to cross the border.
This image, which clashes with catastrophic reality, inevitably raises the question: Why create such an image? What kind of strength and security can such a uniform bring to the Ukrainian people hiding in underground bunkers in confusion and fear? How can such an image be "bluffed"?
↑Kiev, Ukraine recent weather forecast
Not only that, netizens also expressed a kind of "reasonable confusion". Is Ukrainian President Zelenskiy really still in Ukraine? After all, on March 2, for example, the maximum temperature in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was only 2 °C.
Is the "Iron Cross" just an official symbol, or does it have some other meaning?
In addition, the army green T-shirt caused controversy because of the "Iron Cross" logo printed with a badge similar to the "Ukrainian rebels". It is pointed out that this symbol is the official symbol of the Ukrainian army and has no other meaning.
The Red Star News reporter noted that the Ukrainian military emblem is very similar to the "Iron Cross" badge of the "Ukrainian rebels", but it is different.
A green T-shirt that Zelenski has been wearing since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
↑ Logo of the Ukrainian army
According to Russian media reports, Boris Yakmenko, a historian at the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, said it was "incredible" that Zelensky had made a public appearance wearing such a T-shirt. He looked at the sign and said on his social media that the symbolism of the symbol on Zelensky's clothes should be the insignia of the "Ukrainian rebels." The "Ukrainian Rebels" were founded in 1943. It is known as the "Ukrainian rebels" in the former Soviet Union and Russia, and the Russian government has banned its activities on its territory. Jako said "Ukrainian rebels" carried out mass ethnic cleansing in Russian, Jewish and Polish neighborhoods, killing tens of thousands of people.
It is understood that the historical understanding of the "Ukrainian Resistance Army" has also become one of the factors that divide Ukraine. Back in April 2015, the Dokvarada (Parliament) of Ukraine passed a law recognizing the "Ukrainian Resistance Army" as a fighter for Ukrainian independence in the 20th century and granting social security rights to members of the organization. Alexander Sachartschenko, then leader of the donetsk civil armed forces, condemned the move as a result of a complete division of Ukraine. He believes that "this event is 'historic' because fascism has triumphed in Ukraine." ”
Andrei Vischinski, a Russian journalist, has also publicly accused the emblem of having even become the official emblem of the Ukrainian military, but the international community has ignored it. It is well known that ukraine's far-right military organization, the Asian Speed Battalion, has a "close relationship" with the Ukrainian military. Vyshinsky concludes, "That's why Russia was de-Nazed and Ukraine was demilitarized."
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear in his speech that "the presence of this force in the Ukrainian army" is "his " ... One of the reasons for the adoption of special military operations aimed at demilitarizing and de-Naziming Ukraine" was taken.