VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY NO JOKE! DEFENDING UKRAINE AND UNITING THE WORLD

By PORTER KEYS

Many Americans have never heard the name Volodymyr Zelenskyy until very recently. Although Zelenskyy made brief headlines in 2019, in association with a certain scandal, even then, most of the headlines focused on the other party involved, and the name Zelenskyy didn't have much sticking power in the cons

• Language: English
• Publisher: Porter Keys
• Release date: Oct 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9798987180617

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Introduction

Many Americans have never heard the name Volodymyr Zelenskyy until very recently. Although Zelenskyy made brief headlines in 2019, in association with a certain scandal, even then most of the headlines focused on the other party involved—and the name Zelenskyy didn’t have much sticking power in the consciousness of U.S. audiences.

However, current events have brought a heightened awareness of the man who’s leading Ukraine through the most challenging crisis ever faced by any country. Today, the United States—along with the rest of the world—knows the name Volodymyr Zelenskyy: the comedian whose joke presidency became a powerful force for freedom and a global symbol of democracy.

From Actor to Wartime President

Zelenskyy’s unprecedented election came about just three years ago, in 2019, when the actor and comedian proved that life imitates art. He came to the election with zero political experience, though he was already a household name throughout Ukraine due to his long-running, popular comedy television show called Servant of the People in which he plays a schoolteacher who is unexpectedly elected present of Ukraine. The vote that followed his candidacy announcement was a record landslide in favor of Zelenskyy, transforming his TV character into a real-life role that many believed he was unprepared to play.

However, the events of 2022 have proved otherwise with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy’s unorthodox entry into politics and leadership, combined with his unique style borne of a long and successful acting career in the digital era, has become the driving force behind his unexpected success as a wartime leader defending a democracy that, when compared with similar governments, is still in its relative infancy.

Relying on social media engagement and direct communication with the people, rather than the usual political channels, Zelenskyy continues to exhibit bravery and preparedness in the face of Russia’s aggression that few would imagine working—but perhaps they should have. Zelenskyy’s leadership personifies the David-and-Goliath aspects of Ukraine’s battle to remain independent of the Soviet giant that the country has left behind. From his fatigues-clad selfies to his rousing, inspirational speeches that include quotes such as, When you attack us, you will see our faces—not our backs, but our faces, he has galvanized the nation of Ukraine toward unprecedented levels of resistance and a fierce determination for victory.

Withstanding the Toll of War

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has caused a devastating amount of damage—most of it in Ukraine, where the people suffer the direct effects of Putin’s savagery. But the rest of the world has not, and will not, escaped unscathed.

Russia’s violent invasion, during which Putin’s troops have committed atrocities against military and civilians alike, had led to an astronomical Ukraine death toll and millions of refugees fleeing the war-torn country in a desperate bid to survive. But beyond that, the fierce resistance of the Ukrainian military and the fiery determination of Zelenskyy’s leadership has led to ordinary citizens taking action in this war, joining the fight to save their homes and their democracy.

The ripple effect of this war has already reached countries around the world, with rising inflation and gas prices, worldwide food shortages due to the disruption of some of the largest global food supplies located in Ukraine, and a deepening divide of opinion on how far the rest of the world should go toward quelling Russian aggression.

Ultimately, the goal of this conflict is freedom—for Ukraine, and as a beacon of hope for democracy as it stands its ground against the Russian dictatorship. Today’s battle across the former U.S.S.R. is the frontline of a global fight for democracy above authority, and the countries of the free world stand with Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Chapter One:  Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?

The early life of Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not necessarily one that pointed him toward a presidential path or even one of leadership. However, his early life and experiences did result in a unique set of circumstances that have enabled him to flourish in the position, despite—or perhaps because of—his non-traditional journey to the presidency.

Born January 25, 1978, in southern Ukraine (then part of the U.S.S.R.) in the metropolis of Kryvyi Rih, situated in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Volodymyr Zelenskyy lived for only a few years in Ukraine with his Russian-speaking Jewish family before they relocated to Erdenet, Mongolia, while he was still quite young. However, this relocation was temporary, and after four years in Mongolia, the Zelenskyy family returned to Kryvyi Rih, where they currently remain. Oleksandr Zelenskyy, Volodymyr’s father, works as a professor at the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics, and his mother, Rymma, is a former engineer.

Zelenskyy’s Jewish roots have played a significant role in his success as a wartime president, particularly concerning some of Vladimir Putin’s more outrageous justifications for the invasion of Ukraine. Perhaps the most striking example of this lies in Putin’s recent televised remarks where he compared the invasion with World War II, stating that his offensive is intended to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine.

However, not only are Zelenskyy and his family Jewish but many of their relatives were killed by Nazis during the Holocaust. Few explain this absolute refutation of Putin’s stated goals better than Zelenskyy himself, who told this story about a family of four brothers to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the 75th-anniversary commemoration of the liberation of Auschwitz:

Three of them, their parents, and their families became victims of the Holocaust. All of them were shot by German occupiers who invaded Ukraine. The fourth brother survived. ... Two years after the war, he had a son, and in 31 years, he had a grandson. In 40 more years, that grandson became president, and he is standing before you today, Mr. Prime Minister.

This is but one example of Zelenskyy’s admirable defiance in the face of Russian atrocity and his refusal to back down and erase the hard-won steps Ukraine has taken toward democracy since its liberation from the former Soviet Union.

Early Life and Education

Upon his family’s return to Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy entered school, where he gained fluency in English and Ukrainian in addition to his native Russian language. His studies led him to enroll in Kryvyi Rih Economic Institute, a local campus for the wider establishment of Kyiv National Economic University, in 1995. By his graduation in 2000, Zelenskyy had obtained a law degree and a license to practice law.

However, his career had already begun to diverge from the path of his studies years before obtaining his license.

During his college years, Zelenskyy took a keen interest in acting and became active in various theatre pursuits. He formed a comedy performance group called Kvartal (Quarter) 95, named after the central Kryvyi Rih neighborhood where he spent his childhood years. The group gained recognition in 1997 when Kvartal 95 appeared in a comedy competition called KVN—a popular improv contest broadcasted throughout the country, the name of which translates to Club of the Funny and Inventive People.

Zelenskyy’s performance group made it to the televised finals, where they won the competition and became regulars on the show, frequently appearing from 1997 to 2003. In that year, Zelenskyy elevated his entertainment work from a performance group to a production company when he co-founded Studio Kvartal 95—which would become one of the most prolific and successful entertainment studios in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy’s Family Life

As previously mentioned, Zelenskyy was born into an educated, working-class family. His father was, and still remains, a computer science professor, and his mother was an engineer before she retired from the field.

Zelenskyy met his wife, the Kryvyi Rih-born Olena Kiyashko (now Zelenska), while in school, but during that time they were merely classmates and didn’t particularly know each other. The two became acquainted in college, while Kiyashko was enrolled at Kryvyi Rih National University in the Faculty of Civil Engineering, where she studied architecture. Theirs was a gradual relationship, as they dated each other for eight years before marriage. The two were wedded on September 6, 2003.

Olena Zelenska—architect, screenwriter, and the current first lady of Ukraine—has proven just as stalwart and inspirational as her husband. Her initiatives as first lady have included nutrition system reforms for Ukrainian schools and the launch of a campaign called Without Barriers to spread the Ukrainian language further across the globe, with particular attention to the world’s largest museums. Zelenska also created and launched the Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen to open national dialogues among global first ladies to address worldwide humanitarian issues.

Zelenska’s influence in the war has cemented her position as an icon of strength for Ukraine. Most notably, the recent release of her essay, I Testify, details the devastation and suffering running rampant through the nation due to the Russian invasion, which has raised awareness of the mass murder of Ukrainian civilians that Russia attempts to pass off as a war.

In the essay, Zelenska highlights the death of