Vicarious Identification with Ukraine: Reaching the Limits of Elite Performances

Since the war in Ukraine began, the Ukrainian flag has been a common sight in many European capitals. It waves in front of the Scottish parliament, the Estonian Foreign Ministry, and is pinned to the lapels of many a European bureaucrat. When Russia invaded Ukraine nearly two years ago, the immediate outrage from elites was coupled by an immense wave of anxiety in the general public and EU citizens from Donegal to Narva lent time, money, and solidarity to the plight of Ukrainian citizens. Yet, that vicarious identification that led to so many to #StandWithUkraine has given way to vicarious experience of war weariness and impotence, despite the charismatic leadership of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Using insights from Lacan, I argue in this paper that the early days of the war saw an almost euphoric response from Western leaders and the Ukrainian’s struggle swiftly became a proxy for the West, Europe, and democracy itself. This fantasy of fulfilment spoke to a perceived ‘lack’ in recent western war experiences by reactivating narratives and memories of WWII, the last ‘good’ war. The Ukrainian response spoke to Western lethargy and impotence, and stories of valour fed the western need for accomplishment. Yet, by the summer of 2023 the counteroffensive campaign spoke readily to existing failures in the West and narratives of decline. In shorting ‘living through’ the war in Ukraine encompasses both solidarity and anxiety.