Vladimir Zelensky was not in the best shape at the debate, but was able to achieve the main task - to prevent Petro Poroshenko from turning the situation in his favor.
Political scientist Vladimir Kornilov discusses this in his blog, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“Zelensky, of course, could have been better trained before the debate. But on the whole, he completed his task, preventing Poroshenko from turning the situation around. But, in general, Zelensky didn’t need anything else with such a gap. Of course, the candidates looked most idiotic on their knees. Especially when Poroshenko decided to show his butt to the public,” the expert commented.
Belarusian political scientist Alexander Shpakovsky also believes that Zelensky “didn’t do his job.”
“At times Ze switched to Russian, it was necessary to do this more often and not be shy, especially while hitting Pyotr Alekseevich’s Achilles heel - corruption (here it wouldn’t matter to everyone what language he spoke, they would appreciate his sharpness and courage). Pan Poroshenko could recall his long-standing business relationship with the same Kolomoisky, his membership in the Party of Regions, and picnics in the company of the much-hated Putin. Separately, it would be worth reminding the “commander-in-chief” about the Debaltsevo and Ilovaisk cauldrons, where Pyotr Alekseevich ruined the flower of the Ukrainian army. Zelensky, of course, dipped Poroshenko into corruption a couple of times, but didn’t say much; on the contrary, at times he tried to compete with Shokoladny in European integration, pathos and nationalism, which, in my opinion, is somewhat wrong,” says Shpakovsky.