A viral video of Volodymyr Zelensky discussing Ukraine‘s membership of the EU with a fictional Angela Merkel has resurfaced days after the President issued a call for global leaders to accelerate his country’s ascension into the European Union.
In the clip from a satire series in 2017, Zelensky is called by the then-German Chancellor who congratulates the country on officially becoming part of the bloc.
‘My congratulations,’ the actress portraying Merkel says. ‘We have decided to take your country to the European Union.’
Zelensky, who plays Ukrainian President Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko in the hit show Servant of the People, jubilantly shouts ‘Oh f***!’ and expresses his gratitude as triumphant music blares in the background.
A viral video of Volodymyr Zelensky discussing Ukraine’s membership of the EU with a fictional Angela Merkel has resurfaced days after the President issued a call for global leaders to accelerate his country’s ascension into the European Union
The joke from Zelensky’s own political satire series Servant of the People in 2017 is a pointed reference to the country’s long-running ambition to join the EU27 member states
But the scenes of delight are quickly cut short as ‘Merkel’ informs him she had actually meant to call the Montenegrin delegation instead. A visibly furious Zelensky marches off into the distance and even screams ‘f*** Putin’ as the clip concludes.
The joke is a pointed reference to the country’s long-running ambition to join the EU27 member states.
The clip’s resurfacing comes as Zelensky, who was later elected President, continues to push for his country’s urgent induction into the European Union.
The Ukrainian premier said now was a ‘crucial moment to close the long-standing discussion once and for all and decide on Ukraine’s members in the EU’.
‘My congratulations,’ the actress portraying former German Chancellor Angela Merkel (above) says in the viral clip. ‘We have decided to take your country to the European Union.’
Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky (above) has pushed for his country’s urgent ascension to the European Union and says he has discussed the prospect with the bloc’s leaders. He is pictured signing the application for Ukraine’s membership of the European Union on Monday
Servant of the People is a Ukrainian political comedy and satire series in which Volodymyr Zelensky plays history teacher Vasyl Petrovych Holoborodko who is unexpectedly elected President of Ukraine.
After his students share his profane rant about government corruption and launch a viral crowdfunding campaign for his presidential candidacy, Holoborodko (Zelensky) is unwittingly crowned President.
The show, created by actor-turned politician Zelensky, ran for three seasons from October 2015 until March 2019. It aired on Netflix and on local and Belarusian television network channels.
Just two months later and Zelensky himself won 73.2 per cent of votes and would be elected as the President of Ukraine after running on an anti-corruption ticket.
Taking to Twitter to describe a ‘new page in the history of our states’, President Zelensky pointed to a surge in support from EU leaders in recent days as the Russian invasion of his country stalled.
Taking to Twitter to describe a ‘new page in the history of our states’, President Zelensky pointed to a surge in support from EU leaders in recent days as the Russian invasion of his country stalled.
‘This is the beginning of a new page in the history of our states… Ukraine must become part of the EU,’ the Ukrainian leader said last week.
He later added: ‘Ukraine is fighting the invader with weapons in hands, defending its freedom and European future’.
Zelenskiy’s appeal came after a round of calls with senior EU figures, including Italian PM Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Charles Michel and President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
EU officials had dampened Ukraine’s hopes that suddenly becoming part of the EU could help it better weather the Russian onslaught and speed up military, financial and political support.
This comes after the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s comments appeared to hold out the prospect of Ukraine being admitted.
‘They are one of us and we want them in,’ she told Euronews in an interview on Sunday, after emphasising existing EU-Ukraine cooperation.
After this development on Monday, Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the European Union ‘for the immediate accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure’.
But Ms von der Leyen’s spokesman walked back her earlier statement and said she had meant Europe ‘in general’ and there was already a process for joining the bloc.
This sentiment was reiterated by the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, who said there were already longstanding disagreements among EU countries on new members joining.