Zelenskyy is not a dictator and Elections will happen when there is an appropriate time - Open letter / response to Charles Hoskinson
Dear Charles,
For many years I follow your Youtube videos. That’s an amazing fact that no other tech CEO provides such amount of information, interesting thoughts and also interaction (AMAs, your responses on X posts). These videos are also the reason why I believe in Cardano and participate actively in the Cardano ecosystem (Project Catalyst since Fund1, now as DRep, as advisor and content maker).
However, I must say that you are wrong about the situation in Ukraine. You like to say the phrase «Disagree without being disagreeable» that’s why I hope you will read this open letter.
You dedicate several minutes to Ukraine in your video «Treasury Questions» (link:
The first part sounds like a support.
«When he (Trump) said that Ukraine started the war with russia. That’s a lie. Straight up lie. The russian military built up a massive force on the boarder and invaded Ukraine. That’s what happened. We saw in the real time. … The Ukrainians didn't send military into Russia. They didn't attack moscow. The russians attacked Ukraine. So when the President says that Ukraine started the war it's just a lie.»
I completely agree with you - we all saw it in the real time.
But then you continue speaking about Ukraine:
«At the same time, Zelenskyy is a dictator. That's also true. You guys on the other side. You just you can't get there. By definition, if you suspend elections, you arrest your political opponents, you arrest people in the Press who are critical of you. And you use an event like a civil war or an invasion as an excuse. Well, you kind of look like a dictator. Why do we have the moral high ground on this one because in 1944 during World War II the United States had elections. In 1864 the United States during the Civil War with 11 states outside of the Union under Confederate control with 6 million of the 31 million Americans under Confederate control had not only an election. Had an election where the head of the Union Army decided to run against Abraham Lincoln. That's why we have moral authority to say: "You can have an election". Bot choosing to do so means you don't have a democratic mandate. You can disagree with it but it's a fact. You can say it's necessary. Okay. But it's a fact. You could even have an election where once the war is over it takes effect. So that the current leadership doesn't leave office until the war is over. But there's no excuse not to have an election. Because you need a legitimate leader to negotiate for your nation. Who is the leader of Ukraine? We don't really know. And that's the thing, guys.»
Zelenskyy is not a dictator. In a full-scale war (not a conflict, an event, and definitely not a civil war) there is certain benefit of being a dictator. Dictators can submit the whole economy and whole society to the needs of war. And this didn’t happen. For putin who is a dictator and who remains decades in power, it’s much easier to direct manpower and economy to the war effort. If you visit Ukraine, you can observe peaceful life in some cities, many expensive cars on the streets, and some people live and work as if war never happened. It is russian propaganda effort to paint Zelenskyy as a dictator. Political opponents are not persecuted. If you mean sanctions imposed on Poroshenko (ex-president and oligarch) - it is a part of political combat. Is it reasonable to do it right now? Some people think yes, and some people think no. That’s democracy - pluralism of opinion. And anyway «European Solidarity», party of Petro Poroshenko protests against these sanctions openly in the parliament (Verkovna Rada) and nobody persecutes them. Moreover, pro-russian politicians are still remain members of parliament. Yes, some of pro-russian politicians fled the country. Some changed their mind as russian full-scale invasion was a shock for them. Others probably keep their opinion to themselves. But can you imagine Nazi congressmen in USA in 1944?
The press remains free. Of course, the press was influenced by oligarchs and big businessmen in the past. Now this influence is less and the influence of the state is bigger. But very often journalist expose corruption or schemes, including those from the people in power or close to power. Actually, the press is acting as Fourth Power. Maybe there is no big pro-russian media like it was before 2022. But once again - can you imagine big and influential Nazi media in 1944 in the US? Which could promote the idea that the US should abandon its allies, join The Great Reich, invite German leaders to rule the country, and declare German as second state language?
I didn’t vote for Zelenskyy personally. I never was his fan. I disliked his comedy show and I watched «The Servant of the People» movie only after election results to analyze how and why it influenced the voters. But it’s a fact that after russian invasion in 2022, he had huge support up to 95% or higher. This support still remains high. In order to understand this - you don’t need to make an elections. Living in Ukraine and speaking with many different people, I know this. To measure this level of support you don’t necessarily need to conduct elections. There are sociological services that do polls. Actually the recent polls showed the support above 50%, If you don’t believe this number - ok, why not to invite any international company to do more polls?
Zelenskyy is not a dictator, however his influence on the executive branch or power and legislative is big because he received big support on 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections. Since 2019, his party lost part of the members of parliament (at least one group of ex-speaker of parliament Rasumkov separated, some MPs left, and some were kicked out of presidential fraction because of corruption). That’s political life. That’s democracy. This is not a dictatorship. For example, the presidents of USA and France also have big power and influence on executive branch. They can take decisions on wide variety of issue without consulting or asking the legislative body. But this doesn’t make the dictators. That’s the system of power which differ from country to country. Historically in Ukraine Presidential power is very strong. This is not Zelensky’s invention, it was set up by Kuchma in 90s. For example position of Head of Presidential Office (Administration) is very powerful position de facto, while de jure it’s not so important.
More thoughts on the elections. I personally believe that this convocation of Ukrainian parliament is the worst in its quality. First of all, there are real traitors, pro-russian politicians who were elected with russian money, some of them still remain deputies. Other members of parliament lack the necessary education and experience, some of them are just completely random people. The mood of Ukrainian society in 2019 and now are completely different. That’s why the current MPs do not represent the will of the people.
You mention elections in the USA in 1944. But USA was not occupied by their enemies. There were not troops on the borders. To conduct elections in Ukraine during the current war is hard, dangerous, and expensive. Russians bomb as every day. Very often they kill innocent people in the cities which are far away from the frontline. For example, on the day I write this text (23 February, 2025) russians sent 267 drones (Shaheds). Many people try to avoid big gatherings of people due to the risk. One doesn’t need to be a strategist to understand that russians will send drones on polling stations. That’s their tactics - they want Ukraine to be under terror. That’s the difference, as Ukraine is not waging war against russian civil population. But russians killed many civilians: Bucha, Irpin, Izyum, Mariupol.
Elections are expensive. russians have much bigger amount of resources than Ukrainians, and that’s why any extra expenditures, both financial and in manpower would only weaken the situation.
Elections is about competition. If it would be possible - russians would like to have more inner conflicts inside the Ukraine. As a democracy, we already have different opinions. For example, some people don’t want to serve in the army and openly speak about it. Some people spend all their saving to the army needs, and continue to donate. Others just enjoy their life and don’t care. That’s democracy. But the election process can create more clashes inside Ukraine. It’s democracy and many people have personal ambitions, including political ambitions. This war gave birth to new leaders, some of them would like to go into politics. But how can military people participate? Can they run for office? If not - there is no point of such elections, as the support of army is very high in Ukrainian society. If they can run - how can they leave their position in army and their current location? Can they have vacations for the time of the campaign? People who left Ukraine as refugees - will they be able to run for office or vote? And those who left the country illegally? What to do with them?
Currently Ukrainian election system is designed that 50% of parliament is elected by party list and 50% in single-mandate districts. In the past it used to be 225 MPs by part list and 225 in districts. But part of Ukrainian territory is occupied, what to do with this? And political parties, most of them were not active during the war. That’s understandable that when you are under attack by bigger, stronger and cruel enemy - you need to have national unity. That’s not a time for developing a political party, as in the worst-case scenario we might have no elections at all.
Regarding elections, We have more questions than answers. We need to have a dialogue on this. And I’m sure it will happen when there is time.
On all the points written above I could say more, but I see that I already made this letter longer than planned. The best way to confirm everything would be for you to visit Ukraine. Vitalik Buterin visited Ukraine twice, since the full-scale russian invasion. You are welcome to come as well. For example - to visit one of the IT events.
Speaking about elections - we can have a bigger dialogues about elections on the blockchain. Maybe Ukraine can become the first country which will have elections of the blockchain. The digitalization of Ukraine is high, and that is why voting on the blockchain can become a reality. We can focus on this topic and speak about things that unite us.
You can come and explore how fragile Ukrainian democracy managed to survive and become stronger under the russian bombs.
They wanted to turn Ukraine into dessert, the burnt land of ruins, but we will turn Ukraine into the land of cryptocurrencies and hope.