He was a comedian playing the role of a president three years ago. He’s Ukraine’s President today. confronting Russia’s fearsome military might.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is leading his country during an invasion that threatens to explode into the worst conflict in Europe’s post-World War II history.

This Friday: Russian troops reached KyivHe posted to social media a defiant hand-held video showing himself next to the Presidential Palace in the centre of Kiev, flanked by his Cabinet. 

He said, “We’re all here.” “We are defending our independence, our country.” 

It was the end of a mind-blowing transformation that saw a man, whose previous job was to laugh at television, become a wartime leader. As Ukraine confronts the most difficult of problems, who is the man in charge? 

Zelenskyy (44), was elected President in 2019. He was trained as a lawyer but discovered his true calling as an entertainer.

He was married to Olena Zelenska and they have two children. 

His family story is one of Europe’s most tragic stories: Three of his grandparents were killed in the Holocaust, and his grandfather survived.

Zelenskyy was born during communism and entered politics several months before the 2019 elections. no prior experience or solid policies. Instead, he ran He made a pledge to instill integrity into the leadership of his country.

Contrary to many of his colleagues in the area, his past didn’t make him a miserable politician following the Soviet model. He is actually a well-known comedian who says that he doesn’t require any experience in order to be president. All you need is to be a decent person.

His personality and ability to connect with all people is what made him a successful product of the entertainment business. 

He is very empathic as a person. Orysia Loutsevych is a Chatham House researcher and a research fellow. That’s what makes him a successful politician.

Zelenskyy, a native Russian speaker who used his charisma to win over a crowd with his immense popularity. landslide victory, supported by voters in Ukraine’s south and east — where millions of Russian-speaking Ukrainians felt disenfranchised by previous administrations. Russia attempted to exploit this disenfranchisement by supporting separatists that have been fighting Ukrainian forces since 2008, but failed. 

After months of Russia deploying troops to Ukraine’s border and President Vladimir Putin demanding that NATO ban Ukraine join the alliance military alliance, this week’s invading was not Zelenskyy’s first public appearance. 

A phone conversation between then-President and his wife took place just months after he was elected. Donald TrumpInternational attention was drawn to the scandal when Joe Biden’s corruption claims were made against him. This scandal led to first impeachment of TrumpHe was later acquitted by the court in 2020.

Zelenskyy, who had disrupted Ukraine’s political system by this point, brought into government those with a desire to modernize, Lutsevych stated. 

She said that he tried to curb Ukraine’s corruption and to disrupt existing power pillars, but could not muster sufficient political power to “crack the bone of Ukrainian corruption in the system.” 

He’s also been highly praised in Ukraine by his efforts to keep the nation of 44 million on a prowestern path. Russia and Ukraine had remained aligned following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. But, as Kyiv attempted deeper integration with Europe, things began to fall apart in 2000. 

After refusing to sign an agreement of association with the European Union, Viktor Yanukovych, a pro-Kremlin president was removed from office in 2014. 

Russian officials have accused Zelenskyy, a Western “marionette,” of inflicting danger simply by the fact that Ukraine has become a democratic country. The Kremlin propagandists often ridicule him as incapable. 

Zelenskyy has also been criticized for not delivering on his biggest campaign promise — to end the long-simmering war between government forces and the Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine’s east. Conflict that left over 14,000 people dead has become a stalemate. flashpoint last week after Russia officially recognized the breakaway territories, Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. It was the first step in the process of the invasion, which took place just days after. 

Zelenskyy decided to support Ukraine in an effort to rally support as tensions rose during the lead-up to invasion. play down dire warnings coming out of Washington that Moscow was about to attack, saying it was hurting Ukraine’s already fragile economy and morale.

He spooked the markets and sent the foreign media into a frenzy earlier this month when — in his characteristically sarcastic style — he appeared to say in a speech that Russia would attack on Feb. 16, later clarifying he was only referring to media reports of an invasion on this date. 

Some people questioned his relaxed tone, claiming that it was too calm. butt of a joke for American late night show hosts. 

As it was clear, Ukraine had exhausted all diplomatic options to appease Putin. Zelenskyy maintained calm but took a serious tone. While he insisted that Ukraine was prepared for any threat, he called for peace.

Valentyn gladkykh from Kyiv, a political analyst who assessed Zelenskyy’s performance as commander-in-chief and in the run-up to invasion, said to NBC News that Zelenskyy had transformed into a wartime leader. For now, the Ukrainian society seems to support him, even his peacetime enemies.

Gladkykh stated that no Ukrainian president had ever faced a complete-on invasion of his territory. Zelenskyy showed his best face after facing the unimaginable threat. 

But his best side may not be enough — he and Ukraine are trapped in a true David and Goliath contest. The vast nuclear-powered Russia covers 11 time zones, and the size of its army is one of the biggest in the world. This leaves the Texas-sized Ukraine’s army outnumbered and outgunned. 

This contrast doesn’t just reflect military power and size. Zelenskyy’s striking contrast with his Kremlin counterpart could not be more apparent within hours of Russia’s first strikes.

Putin, who was attempting to justify an incursion in Ukraine Wednesday night, spoke normally expressionless in his ex-KGB officer tone. He invoked Russia’s nuclear arsenal, and warned those trying to stop him. 

He said, “No one should be in doubt that direct attacks on our country will result in defeat and severe consequences for any aggressor.” 

A few hours earlier, a visibly exhausted Zelenskyy delivered an impassioned, last-minute plea for peace, appealing to Russian citizens directly — in Russian. 

He stated, “The Ukrainian people want peace” and warned about the destruction that war could bring.

Zelenskyy: “If the Russian leaders do not want to be seated with us at the table for peace’s sake, then maybe they will.” pleaded. Do Russians wish war on the West? It would be a pleasure to hear the truth. However, the only way to know is by asking.

Zelenskyy called on Russians to protest the war, even though Putin was dropping bombs on Ukrainian soil. Zelenskyy thanked him those who did Friday, saying “keep fighting for us.”

Many observers believe that Putin might end up in Ukraine to overthrow Zelenskyy, and install a more open-minded president. Last month, ​​Britain said the Kremlin was seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine as part of its plans for an invasion. 

Zelenskyy stated Thursday that they wanted to “destroy Ukraine politically, by destroying the head of its state,” and added that he was ready for it. “target No. 1” for the Russian forces, but vowed to remain in the capital. 

Putin encouraged the Ukrainian army to overthrow its government on Friday evening, and suggested that he could be prepared to negotiate with them while he was still in power forces continued their advance across the country.

Zelenskyy faces a difficult choice as the Russian offensive grows. He can either concede to Moscow which would be unpopular among many Ukrainians or he could keep his post and suffer the full wrath from the Russian army.

He is still determined for now. 

In the Friday video, he stated that “it will continue as this.” Glory to Ukraine’s defenders.