Volodymyr Zelensky was born January 25, 1978 in Kryvyi Rih, a city in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky was born in a Russian-speaking area of eastern Ukraine to Jewish parents, a mother who was an engineer and a father who is a computer scientist. Cooperation rather than competition between local actors and the central government, an end to the war in Donbass, as well as land, infrastructure and anti-corruption reforms are sorely needed for the future prosperity of Ukraine. Now, if you are wondering why I am lacing up ice skates today, the answer is look up at that building right in front of me. Even the presidents beautiful newly built roads are mired in controversy. Do the public support the nurses strike? According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelensky's approval rating as president dropped from 33.3 percent in September to 24.7 percent in October, separated from Poroshenko's approval rating by fewer than ten percentage points. Some 72% of Americans have either some or a lot of confidence in Zelenskyy to do the right thing regarding international affairs, according to the Pew Research Center a much higher number than for other world leaders, including U.S. President Biden. Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1100076/volodymyr-zelensky-s-approval-rating-ukraine/ (last visited March 04, 2023), Do you approve or disapprove of the actions of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky? It was typical of the same tensions, she said, that a decade or so earlier had assailed John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic president. Mr. Zelenskys other major project, a campaign he calls deoligarchization thats aimed at capping the influence of the very wealthy, looks more like a P.R. 1997-2003 - Actor, performer, script writer, producer of the stand-up comedy contest team . Jonathan Sarna, a professor at Brandeis University and one of the foremost historians on Jewish history, said that whatever the outcome, Zelensky could end up in a pretty singular place in the history books. It's also about three times. That. Volodymyr Zelenskyy was seen by many as a comic actor who stumbled into the presidency. The party has struggled to identify its core ideology, with notions of libertarianism and centrism put forth. By YURAS KARMANAU February 13, 2022. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Three-quarters of Democrats and Democrat-leaners say they have confidence in Biden's international abilities, compared to just 16% of Republicans and Republican-leaners. Scandals and tolerance for corruption have chipped away at Mr. Zelenskys popularity. INA KULIG: (Non-English language spoken). But now, when Ukraine is menaced by Russia, it may be affecting Mr. Zelenskys judgment. I buckle up and prepare to skate, something I have not done in quite a while. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, center, surely never imagined the job would get quite so intense. Others said he was an oligarch puppet. In the run up to the 2024 Ukrainian presidential election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Ukraine. but ultimately became a successful comedian, joining a popular comedy group that performed across the former Soviet Union. BBC News Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who had no experience of politics when elected less than three years ago, has suddenly emerged as a convincing war leader. 'I promise, I will never let you down' Zelenskyy and the German . Show publisher information Throughout 2020 his approval rating steadily fell. Pew found Zelensky most popular among older peoplewith an 86% confidence rate among people age 65 and older, compared to 63% among people age 18-29and more educated peoplewith an 82%. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. After his nearly three years in office, its clear what the problem is: Mr. Zelenskys tendency to treat everything like a show. The question of loyalty, she said, gets asked of leaders who are assigned or marked as belonging to a group that is somehow not quite the center of whatever the country is.. The president's powers were constantly increasing, and, despite an expected decline in his popularity rating, Zelensky remained the most popular among Ukraine's most prominent politicians, especially those with presidential ambitions. In the middle is Ukraine, led by former stand-up comedian and actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Pew notes that this is a downturn since the start of his term, when that number was closer to 6 in 10 American adults. News Corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has turned around his domestic political fortunes with his leadership over the past few weeks, earning the support of an overwhelming majority of the country . During the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election candidate (and latter winner of the election) Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he was running for only one term. We are defending Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/bgHyrsbVFs, Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 25, 2022. ( JTA) Four years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor on the humorous Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People," starring as an unlikely president of the Eastern European country. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. On the one hand, any concession to Russia, particularly over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, would likely bring hundreds of thousands of people to the streets threatening him with the fate of Viktor Yanukovych, the president overthrown by a revolution in 2014. 2000 - Graduated from Kyiv National Economic University, with a law degree. NATO member states have rallied round Ukraine in recent weeks, with the United States, Britain and Poland among countries offering military aid and calling for tough sanctions on Moscow if Russia launches an attack. His hastily assembled team quickly fell apart, and yesterdays allies turned into some of his harshest critics. March 5, 2022. KELLY: So that brings us to this moment. . (JTA) Four years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor on the humorous Ukrainian TV show Servant of the People, starring as an unlikely president of the Eastern European country. She has previously attained a BA degree in International Relations from Sofia University St. And now hes facing the prospect of a full-scale invasion by Russia. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. but ultimately became a successful comedian, joining a popular comedy group that performed across the former Soviet Union. I mean, he is Ukrainian in all of his heart, but hes also Jewish.. We are here. Servant of the Peoples declining popularity has contrasted with the success of its mayoral counterparts in the recent local elections, where 661 independent candidates won mandates in comparison to the 225 gained by Zelenskys party. He has been the president for two - more than two years right now. (Sergei Chuzavkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images), This fear from local Jews has persisted into the early days of the Russian invasion. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Zelensky subsequently struck a more assertive tone in pushing for membership of the European Union and the NATO . All Rights Reserved. his pre-World War II stints as French prime minister. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. The Comedian-Turned-President Is Seriously in Over His Head, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/21/opinion/ukraine-russia-zelensky-putin.html. Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. Forty years later, his grandson became president. And so that's the TV show, and then it happens in real life. Has it contributed to the conflict in any way? ESTRIN: When he was running for president, he said he would fight nepotism. This ambiguity and lack of direction or concrete results have led to a drop of approval for both Zelensky and Servant of the People, with criticism from pro-Kremlin and pro-Western powers alike. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Now, he is at. The latest. We are in Kyiv. Not only did the President lose the popularity test to local strongmen, but he also failed to handle tensions between the central government and local government officials. But once. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the U.S. Congress on March 16, 2022, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. WION: "Approval ratings of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fall amid Russia conflict" Paul Provenza, author of Satiristas! Strategic objectives are sacrificed for short-term benefits. Zelensky has also allegedly experienced pressure from Ukrainian oligarchs such as Ihor Kolomoisky, who owns the TV channel that aired his show, and who strives to regain control over the now nationalised PrivatBank, the largest retail bank in Ukraine. Zelensky, an entertainer-turned-politician, saw his approval ratings steadily decline since his election in 2019, continuing a string of displeasure with leadership within Ukraine over issues. "For instance, about two-thirds of Democrats voice confidence in Macron and Scholz, while only about four-in-ten Republicans say they have confidence in each European leader.". What is Zelensky most likely to . Support 100 years of independent journalism. Others, like some of the ones skating in front of the office of the president, say they still support him. In addition, Zelenskys party, which initially voted with reformist parties such as Holos and Petro Poroshenkos European Solidarity, has recently voted against reforms with OPFL. Furthermore, questions about his Jewishness have exploded into the international consciousness: Has his Jewish background put him or his fellow Ukrainian Jews in more danger? The television star-turned-wartime president has used social media to boost his country's morale and won standing ovations at virtual addresses to governments around the world. Therefore, the 2020 local elections were a chance not only for Servant of the People to expand its political influence, but also for Zelensky to handle future local disobedience. And in the show, this video goes viral. Olena Zelenska presented the Ukrainian Bookshelf and Ukrainian-language audio guides in Albania and Ireland 27 February 2023 - 15:24 JTA Four years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor on the humorous Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People," starring as an unlikely president of the Eastern European country. Ms. Rudenko is a Ukrainian journalist and the chief editor of The Kyiv Independent. Only 28.2% of Ukrainians approve of President Volodymyr Zelensky's performance, . Halfway through his presidential term, the popularity of Volodymyr Zelenskyy has substantially declined as, having won 70 per cent of the vote when elected, he now only commands 25 per cent support at the ballot box. Zelensky has toed a line between projecting a strong patriotic front against Russia, and working to delicately stand up to the nationalists who seek to honor former Nazi collaborationists, through statues, marches and other tributes. Since the war began, he has been appealing to world leaders for more support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. The current war is not Zelenskys first experience as the center of international attention not long after being elected, he found himself ensnared, Russian Vladimir Putin suggesting that he is a Nazi, in former President Donald Trumps first impeachment scandal, Feds arrest Michigan man who plotted to kill Jewish elected officials in the state, American citizen killed in latest West Bank shooting amid escalating violence. : Comedians, Contrarians, Raconteurs & Vulgarians and host of . It may have proven too difficult to pull off after winning the 2019 election with over 70% of the vote, his approval rating had plummeted to close to 30%. Over the course of a few years, Zelensky who is the first-ever Jewish president of Ukraine, a country with a long and complicated Jewish history has quickly become one of the most consequential and prominent Jewish world leaders in recent decades. This is a striking turnaround for a leader who was previously seen as inexperienced and ineffective. But many were also worried that if he failed to follow through on the many ambitious promises that boosted him to a sweeping electoral victory reforming a corrupt political system, standing up to Russia, restoring general confidence in government that angry citizens could blame his Jewishness. 10: Around the Cabinet in 49 Days, Enduring Denialism: A Threat to Sustainable Peace in Colombia. When .css-1h1us5y-StyledLink{color:var(--interactive-text-color);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1h1us5y-StyledLink:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, nearly every international observer expected a Russian victory within days or at most a few weeks. There were constant reshuffles. his domestic approval ratings were tanked . We've been told that because of the location, this is a place where Zelenskyy supporters like to come skate. UNIDENTIFIED INTERPRETER: Zero, zero, zero. More than 90 per cent of Ukrainians approve of their leader, compared with just 31 per cent before the Russian invasion.