The year is 2033. Many years have passed since the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia was successfully thrown back. After the weeks turned into months, the months turned into a year and more, and the fighting only became more brutal. Armed with NATO support, bolstered by foreign volunteers from Democratic nations, and hardened with an iron will, the brave Ukrainian forces would eventually decisively throw back the Russian advances behind their pre-invasion borders. The aftershock that followed inevitably led to the downfall of Vladimir Putin and the collapse of the Russian mafia state. An unstable situation followed where the Russian state existed in name only. This instability and the fear of nuclear proliferation would force NATO’s hand in an unprecedented way. NATO would have to, in the name of peace and goodwill, send in its forces to occupy and stabilize what remained of the Russian Federation.
We all know what came next. Zelenskyy himself stepped up to the plate, taking swings at every challenge thrown at him. With his left hand, he would rebuild his war-torn home country with aid on a scale exceeding the Marshall Plan. With his right hand, he mediated with newly western-appointed Russian Governors, Ministers, and heads of state to guide the reconstruction of Ukraine’s brother nation into the fledgling new Russian Republic, and in unprecedented fashion, become the President of Ukraine and Russia at the same time!
Meanwhile, with the turmoil in the east at its end, France and Germany would lead the charge in a vision long sought, but never quite achieved – the realization of a united Europe by finally, officially federalizing the EU, beginning with each other, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and of course, Ukraine. Before long the rest of the EU would follow suit, ready to annex the full territory stretching from Iberia to the Urals.
Though the papers are drawn up and signed, the first elections of the new European Union, now a united political entity, are yet to occur until later this year before the federalization takes full effect on January 1, 2034. Many candidates from many former nations have put their best foot forward. But this election season will be long and set all kinds of precedents, and perhaps a winning candidate has not yet stepped forward.
Or maybe, no election should even be necessary. After all, what choice could be more obvious than the Great Unifier himself? What could anyone bring to the table that Zelenskyy has not brought already? He is President of not one but two sovereign nations. Why not a third?
Although we cannot know many things about the future, such as how soon the EU will officially federalize, there are hints of it today in 2023 in the EU parliament. The tide has turned sharply against Russia throughout 2022, though the war is far from over. With the determination of NATO in solidarity with Ukraine, victory is all but certain, so long as we tread a careful and delicate path to victory that does not lead to a horrific event like nuclear annihilation.
Once victory is achieved, the future of Europe looks bright. The EU will and should federalize. Ukraine will rebuild. Russia will be reformed and welcomed into the western fold at long last, once all the war criminals have been rounded up, tried, sentenced, and liquidated.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy would be a prime candidate to lead this inevitable future. He will have led Europe through its final war in history. He will be of prime age, with a hard-earned wealth of experience in military, diplomatic, domestic, and economic affairs. He will have led Ukraine through the harshest odds it has faced since the Second World War. He will become President-for-Life of both Ukraine and Russia. His approval ratings will consistently exceed 90% for years after being elected.
Yes, there are a multitude of reasons in favor, and very few against. Perhaps it is even enough that the EU should simply dispense with having a first Presidential election and declare Zelenskyy the first President of Europe outright, for the maximum term allowable by law. Elections should of course be resumed after his term ends, but if Zelenskyy is popular enough, the term limits could always be changed to keep him in office for as long as he remains popular.
