Ukraine, Zelensky thanks Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher in video call

While the Russians continue to wear formal suits, the Ukrainian president and the negotiators in Kiev have adopted a more informal style since the conflict began, which recalls the typical colors of the army. The choice is not accidental

This photo was taken at the Elysée Palace on December 9, 2019, a few months after Volodymyr Zelensky was elected president of Ukraine. Even then, as today, there was talk of Ukraine, but with much more optimistic tones: following that meeting, Moscow and Kiev had managed to find an agreement on some aspects, including a cease-fire. Today the two sides are at war and Zelensky is struggling to arrange a meeting with his counterpart

Since the conflict broke out, the Ukrainian president has put aside his suits and has started wearing items that recall a military style. He wears t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and trousers in shades of brown and green and often shows himself with a pin, a bow or some other accessory in the colors of the Ukrainian flag: yellow and blue

The choice is obviously not accidental. Zelensky is a former actor and knows how powerful some images are. His change of clothes and the fact that he sometimes appears with an imperfectly trimmed beard serve to show the closeness to his people at a time when some of his compatriots live in subway stations, thousands are at the front and many others are trying to save themselves by fleeing the country