Zelensky’s depiction as a great leader is a work of fiction through which a greater truth is being told

With the first anniversary of the conflict still raging in Ukraine upon us, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has again taken the opportunity to try and drag the West into direct military conflict with Russia. During a February 6 interview by video-link with the Lowy Institute — based in Sydney, Australia — Mr Zelensky was asked what NATO should do to prevent Russia from using nuclear weapons. This is despite Putin making it clear previously that Russia won’t use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

But anyway, in response to the question being asked, Zelensky said that the alliance should “make it impossible for Russia to use nuclear weapons” through “preemptive strikes, so they know what will happen to them if they do.”

In just these past few weeks a clutch of NATO-member states have been engaged in a competition to see who is willing to supply more and more weaponry to the Ukrainians. Tanks, which at one point were deemed a no-no with the threat of escalation in mind, have quickly been superseded by fighter jets and long range missiles with the capability of striking targets deep within Russia.

War fever has swept up Western leaders to the point where the prospect of direct military conflict with nuclear-armed Russia has…