Even if the sky is falling down - A Volodymyr Zelenskyy fanfiction

Chapter 9 - A special wish

Back in Kyiv, we both continue our work. I study an important speech Volodymyr is going to hold at G7 summit this week. I was very deep into it when I suddenly feel two hands sliding down my shoulders. I turn around and look at Volodymyrs beautiful face. "What are you doing?", he asks me. "Preparing your G7 speech", I answer. "It must be an important matter that you come over here by yourself", I say. I'm used to talk to some of his employees if I want to get in contact with him at work. Although I'm one of his most important stuff members, I don't see him quite often during a working day. And since the war has started, every day is a working day for the president and his team.

"Yes, I need you to do something for me", I can hear him saying. "Please, just listen to me before saying 'no', okay?", he continues. "You're making me nervous", I say a little insecure. "I need you to be our representative at a summit of German parliament to recognize the Holodomor as genocide. I want you to hold the opening speech. You know German politics better than anyone else in my team. And I know that you understand how important historical truth is. What that decision means for Ukraine and our people. Can you imagine doing that for me?", he concludes.

I just stare at him for some seconds. "Volodymyr...", I start. "I know you can do that", he interrupts me. "I can't speak in public", I simply say. "We would prepare that plea together", he says. "You just have to read it". I shake my head. "I'm sorry. For you, that's an easy task. But I'm not as confident as you are", I tell him. "Please, at least think about it", he asks me. He then leaves me by myself.

For the next minutes, I was just sitting there not knowing what to do. I don't want to disappoint him and I know he was right when he said that I know German politics and understand what's going on there. On the other side, I don't feel confident in front of hundred foreign people.

The next day, Volodymyr and I are able to have lunch together. We talk about some basic stuff, as he switches the topic to what I was fearing. "Did you think about flying to Germany?", he asks me. He looks right into my eyes with his intense view he can freeze people. "I know how important that is for you", I answer. "Good", he responds. Then he takes my hands into his. "You're the right person for it, believe me". "Okay", I say. "So, you're going?", he asks. "I will. For you. Only for you". He smiles. Then he stands up, comes around the table and kisses me. "You'll receive a special 'thank you' from me, I promise".

No 24 hours later, I find myself sitting in a train to Warsaw from where I'm going to fly to Berlin. Volodymyr and I had prepared the speech together and I was holding it in front of some members of our team to train my voice and performance. Now, I try to convince myself that it is going to be a success.

The moment arrives and I walk towards the plenary room of the German parliament, dressed in a white blouse, sky-blue jacket with an Ukrainian broch on it and also sky-blue trousers. I feel myself shaking. The papers in my hands are drowned in sweat. I can hear someone saying in German "Please welcome Anna Meyer, chief-editor of the President of Ukraine".

Because I don't move, someone from behind pushes my slightly forwards. I enter the room with applause. I concentrate on my way to the microphone and it feels like hours until I finally reach it. I stand there, all eyes on me, expecting me to say something. I take a deep breath and start my speech. I talk about the events of the Holodomor in the 1930s and what it meant for Ukrainians to that time. I make a comparison on what is going on today in Ukraine and that another empire uses hunger as a weapon. The words run through my mouth and the speech is faster over than I expected. I close with the appeal that recognizing the Holodomor as a genocide and paying truth to history would be in Germanys special responsibility.

With an upcoming applause and some standing-ovations, I leave the speech pult. I am guided to the place from which I'm going to follow the rest of the ongoing debate. The majority of the next speakers follows my arguments and supports my proposal. Just a few don't want the truth to be spoken. In the end, the German parliament votes with a great majority for the recognizing of the Holodomor as a genocide on the Ukrainian people. I am relieved and happy that I didn't quit and held the speech. I thank the Germans for their support.

Back in the plane to Warsaw, I think about the "special thank" I would receive from Volodymyr. I hope for something naughty but I'm not sure if this is his intention. I find myself getting wet from my thoughts and giggle. What is this man doing to me?, I ask myself.