The cabinet is a collegiate body consisting of the cabinet's "presidium" composed of the Prime Minister of Ukraine and their vice prime ministers as well as other ministers who participate and vote on sessions of the cabinet. [146], In September 2019, it was reported that U.S. president Donald Trump had allegedly blocked payment of a congressionally mandated $400 million military aid package to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy during a July phone call between the two presidents to investigate alleged wrongdoing by Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden,[69][147] who took a board seat on Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings. With inputs from agencies. [19] Zelenskyy continued his movie career with the film Office Romance. We will not forget. Today, we're announcing new actions to lower mortgage payments and help more people realize that dream. [203], Zelenskyy has made an effort to rally the governments of Western nations in an effort to isolate Russia. Since 2015, Ukraine has banned Russian artists and other Russian works of culture from entering Ukraine. [268], In response to suggestions to the contrary, he stated in April 2019 that he regarded Russian president Vladimir Putin "as an enemy". How Zelensky prepares for the election", "Could a rock star become Ukraine's next president? People. As president, Zelenskyy has been a proponent of e-government and of unity between the Ukrainian and Russian speaking parts of the country's population. . [278][279] Civil rights organizations praised the statement, though criticizing its vagueness, as Zelenskyy eschewed details about legal proposals for civil partnerships. The series aired from 2015 to 2019 and was immensely popular. [243] He also said that Putin is aware that the "world will never forgive" a Russian nuclear strike. It was not even close. These companies included some that owned expensive London property. [105], Zelenskyy appointed Andriy Bohdan as head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. They must know the truth. According to Zelenskyy, since the beginning of the invasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping had refused to speak with him. But the answer depends only on you, the citizens of the Russian Federation. He was sworn in on January 20, 2021. Please submit all media inquiries to interviews@usip.org or call 202.429.3869. [108] A number of the members of the Presidential Administration Zelenskyy appointed were former colleagues from his former production company, Kvartal 95,[106] including Ivan Bakanov, who became deputy head of the Ukrainian Secret Service. [172] Zelenskyy also announced that diplomatic relations with Russia were being severed, effective immediately. We will not forgive. [192], Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for direct talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin,[193] saying: "Good Lord, what do you want? Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected President of Ukraine on April 21, 2019. By AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE February 18, 2022. Kyiv, Ukraine. President Joe Biden is being briefed "regularly" on the situation in Ukraine by his national security team at the White House this weekend, press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. Who can prevent this? Ambassador William B. Taylor is vice president, Europe and Russia at the U.S. Institute of Peace. President of Ukraine. [224] Zelenskyy has also supported consolidating all TV news stations into a single 24-hour news broadcast run by the state of Ukraine. [177][178][179], More than 90% of Ukrainians supported the actions of Zelenskyy,[180] including more than 90% in western and central Ukraine and more than 80% in Russian-speaking regions in eastern and southern Ukraine. [226] In May 2022, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian men of conscription age had a duty to remain in Ukraine and that up to 100 Ukrainian soldiers were killed every day in the fighting in eastern Ukraine. [56] Zelenskyy stated that he was not hiding from journalists but that he did not want to go to talk shows where "people of the old power" were "just doing PR" and that he did not have time to satisfy all interview requests.[63]. [220] In March 2022, Zelenskyy supported the suspension of 11 Ukrainian political parties with ties to Russia: the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Derzhava, Left Opposition, Nashi, Opposition Bloc, Opposition Platform For Life, Party of Shariy, Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Leftists, and the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc. [275][276] In April 2019, he stated that he was not against a Ukrainian language quota (on radio and TV), although he noted they could be tweaked. nov., a first nearly complete feather star (Crinoidea) from the Upper Jurassic of Africa", "Fossil Named After Ukraine's President Zelenskyy", "NFL Honors Highlights Defenders of Ukraine", Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy? [232] However, he later said he did not believe that all the land seized by Russia since 2014, which includes Crimea, could be recaptured by force, saying that "If we decide to go that way, we will lose hundreds of thousands of people. Blinken also commented on Vice President Kamala Harris's announcement in Munich that the U.S. had formally determined that Russia has committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine. [19] He recorded the voice of Paddington Bear in the Ukrainian dubbing of Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017). People. Our Time in 2011 and with Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon in 2012. Symbolic moment today in Munich as Ukraine's President Zelenskyy stood side by side with Vice President Harris just days ahead of what the U.S. says is a planned Russian attack on Ukraine. [9] His administration faced an escalation of tensions with Russia in 2021, culminating in the launch of an ongoing full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. [227][228] As Zelenskyy ordered a general military mobilization in February 2022, he also banned men aged 18 to 60 from leaving Ukraine. [27][28][29][30] In March 2022, Zelenskyy said that his great-grandparents had been killed after German troops burned their home to the ground during a massacre. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood . Two of those attempts were carried out by the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary force, and the third by the Kadyrovites, the personal guard of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. [76][77] Polish president Andrzej Duda was one of the first European leaders to congratulate Zelenskyy. He made the comment after he was asked about an online petition calling to lift a prohibition on Ukrainian men leaving Ukraine. 'I am more responsible than brave', "Ukraine still backs Zelenskyy despite slow progress", "Military tactics: Zelensky plays both sides in Ukrainian crisis", "Ukraine war: what are Russia's strategic aims and how effectively are they achieving them? March 12, 2022 After war began last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine turned to Mykhailo Fedorov, a vice prime minister, for a key role. Public figures, journalists, musicians, actors, athletes, scientists, doctors, bloggers, stand-up comedians, Tik-Tokers and many more. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena paid tribute to the victims of the 1932-1933 Holodomor (Great Famine in Ukraine of 1932-33) at a monument to the victims in Kyiv, Ukraine . Who does not want this more than anyone? "I looked at them and said, 'I'm leaving in six hours,'" Biden told the crowd, taking a long look at his watch for effect . With regards to same-sex marriage, Zelenskyy cited a provision in the Constitution of Ukraine barring same-sex marriage, as well as a ban on wartime changes to the Constitution, ruling out an introduction of same-sex marriages during the ongoing war. Mr. President, fellow ladies and gentlemen, journalists and everyone in this room, the team of President Biden: I'm very happy to welcome you in. Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy; born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former comedian and actor who has served as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019.. Born to a Ukrainian Jewish family, Zelenskyy grew up as a native Russian speaker in Kryvyi Rih, a major city of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in central Ukraine. ", "Ukraine adopts new and improved referendum law", "Ukraine's referendum law passed during Yanukovych's presidency designated as unconstitutional", "Zelenskyy speeds up corruption crackdown, one oligarch at a time", "Ukrainian lawmakers pass law on oligarchs after assassination attempt", "Ukraine: why Volodymyr Zelensky is pursuing a disruptive agenda", " . [252] At the same time, he believed that the Ukrainian people had already chosen "eurointegration". You will not have a quiet place on this earth except for a grave. . [83] Various foreign officials attended the ceremony in Ukraine's parliament (Verkhovna Rada), including Salome Zourabichvili (Georgia), Kersti Kaljulaid (Estonia), Raimonds Vjonis (Latvia), Dalia Grybauskait (Lithuania), Jnos der (Hungary), Maro efovi (European Union), and Rick Perry (United States). [107] Bohdan, however, contended that because heading the presidential administration is not considered civil service work, lustration did not apply to him. Not All Jews There Are Pleased", ": , , , , ", "Volodymyr Zelensky Was a Jewish Comedian. 95 , the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine's protracted conflict with Russia, an ongoing full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, Kryvyi Rih State University of Economics and Technology, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, List of international presidential trips made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prelude to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, annexing four regions of Ukrainian territory, representative of the president of Ukraine, Ukraine can apply for European Union membership, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Honorary Diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, [olodmr oleksndrowd zelnskj], [vldimr lksandrvd zlenskj], "Zelensky, Zelenskiy, Zelenskyy: Spelling Confusion Doesn't Help Ukraine", "Dear colleagues, this is the official form of the last name that the President has in his passport. In 1997 . [165] Zelenskyy and U.S. president Joe Biden disagreed on how imminent the threat was. 11:58 A.M. (Local) THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. [91] This initiative was completed on 3 September, when the new parliament passed a bill stripping lawmakers of legal immunity, delivering Zelenskyy a legislative victory by fulfilling one of his key campaign promises. [113], In the 21 July 2019 parliamentary election, Zelenskyy's political party, Servant of the People, won the first single-party majority in modern Ukrainian history in parliament, with 43 per cent of the party-list vote. [92], On 8 July, Zelenskyy ordered the cancellation of the annual Kyiv Independence Day Parade on Maidan Nezalezhnosti, citing costs. [141], On 17 January 2020, the presidential appointee Minister of Foreign Affairs Vadym Prystaiko was unable to give answers during the "times of questions to the government" in parliament when the people's deputies of Ukraine asked him about the visit's official agenda, the invitation from Oman, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who were preparing the visit, as well as how the president actually crossed the border while visiting Oman. Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., represented Delaware for 36 years in the U.S. Senate before becoming the 47th and current Vice President of the United States. He has positioned himself as an anti-establishment and anti-corruption figure. In 2016, she participated in the show The Comedy Comet Company Comedy's Kids and won 50,000. [19] Zelenskyy also played the leading role in the 2012 film 8 First Dates and in sequels which were produced in 2015 and 2016. The prime minister presides over the cabinet. "[272], During the presidential campaign, Zelenskyy promised bills to fight corruption, including removal of immunity from the president of the country, members of the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) and judges, a law about impeachment, reform of election laws, and providing efficient trial by jury. The EU will be with you and your people tomorrow and for as long as it takes. Thats something that China can do to limit the trade [with Russia] until the war is over." The comedy series Svaty ("In-laws"), in which Zelenskyy appeared, was banned in Ukraine in 2017,[44] but unbanned in March 2019. On 7 March 2022, Czech president Milo Zeman decided to award Zelenskyy with the highest state award of the Czech Republic, the Order of the White Lion, for "his bravery and courage in the face of Russia's invasion". [34] In the series, Zelenskyy's character was a high-school history teacher in his 30s who won the presidential election after a viral video showed him ranting against government corruption in Ukraine. We will punish everyone who committed atrocities in this war We will find every scum who was shelling our cities, our people, who was shooting the missiles, who was giving orders. The President won't be offended if BBC standards assume different transliteration", Zelensky Unchained: What Ukraine's New Political Order Means For Its Future, "Ukraine Lifts Prosecutorial Immunity For Members Of Parliament", "Ukraine's anti-corruption effort struggles, but soldiers on", Faltering fightback: Zelensky's piecemeal campaign against Ukraine's oligarchs, "FT Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. President Trump and his allies have been trying to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden for his role in what Rudy Giuliani called a "massive bribery scheme.". Here's how that would work", "8 EU countries support Ukraine's call to fast-track membership talks", "Exclusive: Ukraine's Zelensky says he doesn't feel China threat", "Ukraine election rivals trade taunts and media tricks", "Front-runner in Ukraine's election race names condition for returning Crimea", "Ukraine's New President Zelensky Hints At Peace With Russia", Zelensky about the war in the Donbas: Though we are ready to agree with the devil, Vladimir Zelensky: It is beneficial for us to dissolve the Rada, but we will think and act according to the law, "Ukraine poll leader Volodymyr Zelensky sees Putin as an enemy", "Zelensky: Border only "common" thing between Ukraine, Russia", "Ukraine insists Nord Stream 2 is 'dangerous' despite German reassurances", "Zelensky says Ukraine will fight until it regains all its territories after Kissinger remark", Comfortable topics for candidates: how they understand reforms, " , ", " Sevas.Com", Zelensky suggested, that he might not get to shake Poroshenko's hand, "Zelensky says Ukraine's government may allow civil partnerships for same-sex couples", "Zelensky floats civil unions amid gay marriage push in Ukraine", "Ukraine president backs civil partnerships for same-sex couples", "Zelensky Proposes Barring Orthodox Church That Answers to Moscow", "Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's shy first lady, steps up", "Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska on being Russia's target No 2: 'When you see their crimes, maybe they really are capable of anything', " : , ", " : 2018 6 ", "Slovakia Awards Zelenskiy Dubcek Prize For 'Freedom and Hope', " - ", "France's Macron awards Legion of Honour to Ukraine's Zelenskiy", " ", "Zeenski z najwyszym litewskim odznaczeniem. White nationalist livestreamer Nicholas Fuentes has made no secret of where his loyalties lie in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. [284] The couple's first daughter, Oleksandra, was born in July 2004. "[233], On 3 May 2022, Zelenskyy accused Turkey of having "double standards" by welcoming Russian tourists while attempting to act as an intermediary between Russia and Ukraine in order to end the war. "They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state", he said. [263] In August 2014, Zelenskyy performed for Ukrainian troops in Mariupol and later his studio donated 1 million to the Ukrainian army. A political party bearing the same name as the television show was created in March 2018 by employees of Kvartal 95. Are these people present among you? He promised to bring the salary for military personnel "to the level of NATO standards". So Is Its Prime Minister. Regular, normal people. [240], Speaking about the 2022 Russian mobilization, Zelenskyy called on Russians to not submit to "criminal mobilization", saying: "Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians they just need to replenish the empty spaces left" by killed and wounded Russian soldiers. During the war in Donbas, he actively supported the Ukrainian army. [22][23][24] His grandfather, Semyon (Simon) Ivanovych Zelenskyy, served as an infantryman, reaching the rank of colonel in the Red Army (in the 57th Guards Motor Rifle Division) during World War II;[25][26] Semyon's father and three brothers were killed in the Holocaust. [254] Zelenskyy's electoral programme claimed that Ukrainian NATO membership is "the choice of the Maidan and the course that is enshrined in the Constitution, in addition, it is an instrument for strengthening our defense capability". The society will not forgive them", adding that "It will be the choice of our society whether to talk to them, or not to talk at all, and for how many years, tens of years or more.