US visit "act of desperation"?

Outrage over daily topic commentary on Zelenskyy

Created: 12/22/2022, 5:39 p.m

By: Patrick Mayer

Polarized on Twitter: The "Tagesthemen" commentary by WDR Washington correspondent Gudrun Engel on the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj to the USA.

© screenshot ARD

In a commentary, ARD's "Tagesthemen" harshly criticizes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Not everyone likes that on Twitter.

Munich/Washington - In journalism, a comment is a clearly defined opinion piece.

The separation of opinion and information is clearly marked by the stylistic device.

It is not uncommon for the author to try to come up with a steep thesis in order to promote the debate on a topic.

ARD comment on Selenskyj's trip to the USA causes irritation on Twitter

The war in Ukraine has been an undoubtedly sensitive and polarizing issue for months.

As a result, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to the United States this week.

His American counterpart, Joe Biden, hosted a gift of $1.85 billion in military aid.

WDR Washington correspondent Gudrun Engel then commented on Selenskyj's (risky) trip to the United States for ARD's "Tagesthemen".

Her thesis: She sees this state visit as an "act of desperation".

Your approach promptly triggered irritation on Twitter, sometimes outrage.

In the video: Compact - The most important news about the Russia-Ukraine war

What happened?

Engel commented: “I view Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj's trip to Washington critically.

Of course, the man is desperate, I can understand that.

The war is cruel, people die every day, the infrastructure is destroyed.

It's bitterly cold.

This has been going on for more than 300 days and there is no end in sight.

We viewers on the sidelines are helpless.

But this trip from Zelenskyy to Washington is an act of desperation.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyj: ARD journalist sees "act of despair" in USA trip

So far, Selenskyj has always switched online through the parliaments to ask for support, the journalist continues in the article, which is available in the ARD media library: "That's apparently no longer enough.

So he flew to the US to his main sponsor.

The United States has so far poured more than $69 billion into Ukraine to keep it from collapsing.

But after the US midterm elections, the critical voices will be louder.”

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My space

After his speech in the American Congress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi presented US Vice President Kamala Harris (left) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a flag of his home country.

© IMAGO/Carol Guzy

Selenskyj knows that time is short because the Republicans will have the majority in the House of Representatives from January.

And they would rather put the money into their own infrastructure, Engel explains to the viewers: "If he can make a difference again, then probably now.

And he has to come to that in person.

Because now, so close to Christmas, these are good pictures for everyone involved.

For Joe Biden, who is fighting for his popularity ratings, this is the moment to say, 'We are a great power.

We help.'"

In the end, Selenskyj risked his life for the trip, she concludes, but it "probably only brings symbolism and hasn't brought the world one meter closer to the end of the war".

ARD daily topics: comment on Volodymyr Zelenskyj's trip to the USA is criticized on Twitter

The reactions to her thesis were not long in coming on social media - including plenty of criticism.

The member of the Bundestag Ulrich Lechte (FDP) from Regensburg wrote on Twitter: "For more than 300 days, #Ukraine has been fighting with confidence and courage against the Russian aggressor and @gudrun_engel presumes to speak of Ukrainian desperation.

That's a lot of subjective opinion and very little fact, sorry.” Lechte is the foreign policy spokesman for his group in the German parliament.

Jan Mücke (FDP), former parliamentary state secretary, also said on Twitter: "What nonsense."

The journalist Tobias Huch asked again under the posting of the "Tagesthemen" about the video excerpt from Engels: "I can't find the words.

How can you spout so much nonsense in less than two minutes?” Heidelberg DJ Boulevard Bou, known among other things from the radio station BigFM, also took part in the discussion.

He said clearly on social media: "Pathetic comment.

Slava Ukraini!” (

.).