Anyone watched this on Netflix? No "great reveals" which is not surprising and Letterman, like other visiting American celebrities before him (e.g. Sean Penn), seems mostly to have been there for the purpose of drumming up continued support for Ukraine at a time when the American public may be flagging in this. For his part, Zelensky seemed obviously happy to take part in the interview as he clearly knows that his country needs continued American aid, including smarter weapons.

Letterman is no fool though and he is right to raise the issue of the current questioning in the US over the state of democracy as failings through it's imperfections have led to many of America's current problems. IMHO, he is also right though to point out the dangers of alternative systems of government-particularly authoritarian ones. Claiming that Ukraine is "fighting democracy for everyone" is a stretch too far, but it is a conflict between a democratic country and an authoritarian one and the consequences of Ukraine losing to the authoritarian regime are pretty clear. Doubtless Zelensky is also right when he argues that the suggested "Putin accidentally falls out of a window" scenario would lead to Russia seeking an end to the war.

He may have been a well known comic and tv personality before becoming president, but what struck me most about Zelensky was how "ordinary" he is. He comes across very much as someone most ordinary people could relate to and is certainly different from how the vast majority of Western politicians-let alone those from authoritarian states-come across. Maybe this "ordinary-ness" is his great strength? But in truth he is an extra-ordinary "ordinary" personality who has united his country and whose leadership has undoubtedly inspired their courage in fighting back against Putin.

We don't learn much from this interview, and I am sure that there are less than savoury aspects to the Ukraine, but on this showing I know who I would rather support if it came to a choice between Zelensky or Putin and who has the greater "right" on their side in this war.