Volodymyr Zelensky: Comedian with no political experience to wartime president

Volodymyr Zelensky ran for the presidency of Ukraine in 2019 having had no political experience.

The now 47-year-old was a comedian and he played a teacher in a television series who becomes president after a video of him denouncing corruption goes viral.

But he stormed to victory with 73% of the vote.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Zelensky said that the main goal for his presidency was to bring peace to eastern Ukraine, where government troops had been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years.

A few months later, he locked horns with Donald Trump, who was then in his first term, by rejecting the US president’s attempts to pressure him to investigate Joe Biden or his son, Hunter Biden.

Mr Zelensky criticised the White House’s decision to release a rough transcript of the call, which resulted in Mr Trump’s impeachment by the US House of Representatives on charges of using his office, and the threat of withholding 400 million dollars in authorised military support for Ukraine, for personal political gain.

He met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in December 2019 in Paris.

They made a deal to exchange prisoners and pledged to ensure a lasting ceasefire in fighting between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists which at that point had killed more than 14,000 and devastated Ukraine’s industrial heartland.

But there was no major breakthrough.

By 2021, tensions had risen and Mr Zelensky expressed concern about a buildup of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine.

Officials in Moscow warned Ukraine against using force to reclaim control of the rebel east, saying that it may push Russia to step in to protect civilians there.

Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and Mr Zelensky declared martial law, urging citizens not to panic.

Before the attack, Mr Zelensky delivered an address in Russian, saying: “If we come under attack that threaten our freedom and lives of our people we will fight back.”

Mr Zelensky said that he tried to call Mr Putin but the Kremlin was silent.

As Russian troops entered, he called on world leaders for support, saying that Russia “has unleashed a war with Ukraine and the entire democratic world”.

He criticised Washington for not doing more to protect Ukraine, including defending it militarily or accelerating its bid to join Nato.

Fighting soon took place in the capital Kyiv, with Mr Zelensky saying of Russia: “This is the night they will storm.”

After an offer from the United States to transport him to safety, Mr Zelensky reportedly replied “I need ammunition, not a ride”, despite saying he is a target of Russian invaders.

Mr Zelensky remained in the capital.

His wife, Olena Zelenska, and their two children have lived in secret locations during the conflict.

Mr Zelensky became recognisable around the world in the wake of the invasion, and his approval ratings soared, becoming Time Magazine’s 2022 Person of the Year.

His popularity did fall as the conflict rumbled on, but he continued pressing western countries for financial and military aid.

He maintained support from both Conservative and Labour governments throughout.

In February 2023, Mr Zelensky made a surprise visit to the UK and he met the King in a historic audience at Buckingham Palace.

Charles told him “we’ve all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long”.

Mr Zelensky used an address to Parliament to thank the UK for its steadfast support.

He finished with “God bless Great Britain and long live the King”.

His latest visit to the UK, however, comes amid the backdrop of an unprecedented public clash with Mr Trump and his vice president JD Vance in the White House’s Oval Office on Friday.

The US president claimed Mr Zelensky was “gambling with World War Three” in a series of heated exchanges which were broadcast around the world.

The Ukrainian leader was also accused of not being thankful enough for US military aid by both the US president and his deputy Mr Vance.

The meeting ended with Mr Zelensky reportedly being kicked out of the White House, and plans to sign a deal exchanging Ukrainian mineral rights for American arms were put on ice.

Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump’s relationship has been rocky, with the US president also accusing him of being a dictator.

Last year, Mr Putin questioned Zelensky’s legitimacy, saying his five-year term in office was supposed to end on May 20 2024.

However, Mr Zelensky has ruled out holding new presidential elections while his country is at war.