Volodymyr Zelensky
Volodymyr Zelensky is the President of Ukraine and constitutional Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. A former actor and comedian who won the 2019 election in a landslide, Zelensky became internationally recognized for his defiant leadership after Russia's full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. He refused evacuation, delivered nightly video addresses, and conducted an intensive international diplomatic campaign to secure Western weapons and financial aid. His leadership was credited with rallying Ukrainian morale and international support.
Key Operations
- —Ukrainian national mobilization (February 2022)
- —Kharkiv Counteroffensive (September 2022) — political decision to authorize
- —Kherson liberation (November 2022)
- —HIMARS/Patriot/F-16 diplomatic campaigns
- —NATO membership application (September 2022)
Notable
Zelensky's decision to stay in Kyiv during Russia's March 2022 attempt to encircle the capital — filming himself on the streets — became one of the defining moments of the war. He addressed virtually every major parliament and international organization, securing over $250 billion in aid commitments from over 50 countries.