Recent Interview Between Zelensky and Luciano Huck: Dynamics of Whiteness and Geopolitical Power in Debate

The recent interview between Volodymyr Zelensky and Luciano Huck, a well-known television host in Brazil, provides an interesting opportunity to explore the dynamics of racial identity and geopolitical power in the contemporary world. Although the conversation did not directly address China, the topics discussed, as well as Huck's identification with the Ukrainian leader, reflect broader questions about who is considered part of the "West" and how these definitions affect international relations and the construction of national and ethnic-racial identities.

Whiteness: Beyond Skin Color

First and foremost, it is essential to understand that whiteness is not merely a matter of pigmentation, as someone less familiar with the term might assume. It is a social construct involving power and privileges, based on how "white people" define who is or is not "white," grounded in the maintenance of subordinate positions and the reproduction of a Western, white-centric worldview.

Thus, in various social contexts—whether in a country colonized by the West that has descendants of those colonizers (such as Luciano Huck himself, a man considered white, belonging to the dominant class, and explicitly aligned with the Western worldview) or in a geopolitical dynamic—"being white" emerges as a means of control, determining who is included or excluded from the benefits associated with this status. However, the whiteness reproduced within countries that were colonies cannot be directly compared to that of the colonial powers; it is much more a remnant among their descendants of the oppressive relationships imposed by the colonizing countries than an exact reproduction of geopolitical power relations.

Countries and individuals outside the "Global North," such as Brazil and other Latin American countries, or even those in Asia, do not necessarily share these privileges, even if some have lighter skin. The changing status of white Brazilians abroad, for example, demonstrates how whiteness is a flexible social and geopolitical construct, depending on the context. However, this flexibility has limits: there is a "master" who defines who can truly belong to their group or be accepted as a "sympathizer" of their ideas, and this "master" is the Western countries.

China and the Question of Western Whiteness

China's position in this debate about whiteness and modernity might seem distant, but it is significant because of its unique nature. Unlike countries like Japan and South Korea, which have adopted Western philosophies to some extent due to their specific historical processes, China, influenced by similar historical circumstances but with different outcomes, has charted its own path to modernity, differing from the Western model. In this context, China emerges as a power that challenges these norms and proposes a new development model for the Global South. This dynamic is often viewed as merely economic, but it also reflects the capacity of "non-white" peoples to exercise counter-hegemonic power without seeking acceptance by whiteness.

This stance challenges the dominant narrative and questions the Western criteria of who is considered "civilized" and "modern," or in a "phase of evolution." It contrasts sharply with Ukraine, which is clearly seeking to be recognized as part of the West and to earn the "seal of civilizational authenticity" granted by those who have always had the power to determine what should be considered "civilized."

For this reason, the interview between Zelensky and Luciano Huck is so revealing. It highlights a symbolic movement in which Ukraine, by distancing itself from Russia, seeks to reclassify itself as a Western country. This phenomenon can be described as a form of symbolic "whitening," an effort to align more closely with Western values and ideologies, in a context where being seen as "white" is not limited to appearance but extends to a reconfiguration of global power and prestige. At the same time, this interview aligns with an internal discourse in Brazil, where the classes considered white (especially by themselves), historically privileged and seeking an identity acceptance by the West, are represented by Luciano Huck himself.

Both in the interview and in their public activities, both figures express an aversion to China and advocate a liberal idea of freedom, seen as a "civilizational advance." In other words, they seek acceptance by the West. Even though they recognize, to some extent, that they may never fully be a part of it, reinforcing this alignment implies a desire to be accepted into the club of the "evolved," the privileged, those with the power to subjugate those who are not part of it, whether due to economic status, nationality, skin color, or any other phenotypic trait.

Final Reflections: Complexity and Limits of the Analysis

This text offers a brief reflection on the dynamics observed in the interview between Zelensky and Huck, highlighting how whiteness is a dynamic social construct that reflects global power relations. However, it is important to acknowledge that this analysis is just a starting point for a vast and complex topic. Issues of identity, power, and racial exclusion are deep and multifaceted and cannot be fully explored in a single text. The intention here is to open up space for a continuous debate on how these dynamics shape our current world.