Unfortunately, Zelensky is not the paragon of virtue and good government. His opponent Tetyana Chornovol, was a Maidan revolutionary in 2014, and he had her arrested in April 2020 (on charges of murder).
Even so, he has now become a truly great war-time leader, often compared to Churchill, who was also far from perfect in many respects.
Defect your country regardless of the cost, and you become immortal, warts and all.
Defect = Defend. Inexplicable typo.