A political novice who unexpectedly came to power with a landslide victory in the 2019 presidential election, Zelensky vowed to ensure economic prosperity, anti-corruption reforms and a quick resolution to the war in Donbass. And that Jewish identity has been repeatedly seized on by enemies and rivals, and celebrated by Jewish supporters around the world. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the U.S. Congress on March 16. The approval rating saw a decrease compared to. The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Photograph:(AFP), War zone: Ukraine's US-made Javelin anti-tank missile vs Russian T-72 beasts. But in times of national emergency, true leaders rise to the occasion. Zelensky. Now, he is. At first, it seemed to be working. The skating rink admittedly is a little harder to storm. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY suffered a "huge political blow" as he faced being ousted before the Russian invasion, a Ukrainian political expert has told Express.co.uk. 2000 - Graduated from Kyiv National Economic University, with a law degree. But the presidents performance strained, awkward, often inappropriate is hardly helping. He started brightly. This story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Nevertheless, these elections have also been influenced by the global coronavirus pandemic, as voter turnout was very low in comparison to previous local elections in 2015, mainly due to health concerns and a demoralised electorate. but ultimately became a successful comedian, joining a popular comedy group that performed across the former Soviet Union. UNIDENTIFIED INTERPRETER: Zero, zero, zero. 1997-2003 - Actor, performer, script writer, producer of the stand-up comedy contest team . The latest. The show must go on, of course. His harshest critics claimed that Mr. Zelensky, a Russian-speaking man born in eastern Ukraine, would all but sell the country off to Russia. Illustration by Joo Fazenda. Yet Mr. Zelenskys behavior, odd to the point of erratic, obscures a truth: He has no good options. Instead, he studied law. The senior researcher at the Museum of the Holocaust in Odessa, a city that was over a third Jewish in the 19th century, told The New York Times he was worried that antisemitism would be unleashed by the chaos of war., In a bizarre complication to the narrative, Putin has repeatedly said that his military operation is, Other historical figures whose Jewishness featured large in their national leadership include Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th-century British prime minister who was faced unrelenting antisemitism. By YURAS KARMANAU February 13, 2022. (Ukrainian presidential press) Before Russia invaded his country, Volodymyr Zelensky had an approval rating within Ukraine of around 32 per cent. When Mr. Zelensky took power in Ukraine in 2019, converting his TV fame into a stellar political career, no one knew what to expect. ( 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. But a video of Zelensky and his team defiantly announcing they are staying in Kyiv circulated widely on Friday, as supporters around the world characterized him as a beacon of honor in an age of leaders only interested in preserving their own status. That topic is acutely relevant in Ukraine, a post-Soviet republic with a large population of hypernationalists. By October 2021, polls showed his approval ratings had gone into freefall. . The war is still going. He has excelled in the role of warrior-president and won the hearts of the people he was elected to serve. 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%. Zelensky's approval rating falls below 50%. And in the show, this video goes viral. The claim: '15-minute city' planned in Ottawa will confine residents. The party's rating has fallen to 28 percent, while 56 percent of the Ukrainian public is dissatisfied with Zelensky, although both still have higher ratings than the opposition. KELLY: Yeah, but that's a really steep drop. Zelensky has not elaborated on the details of his Jewish upbringing, or his religiosity, but he also hasnt shied away from expressing, an occasional message of Jewish pride and a strong sense of solidarity with Israel. J. Scott Applewhite /Pool/AFP via Getty Images, In 'Servant of the People,' viewers got a glimpse of the future President Zelenskyy, Most Americans don't like Biden's Ukraine response and worry about inflation, Putin's puffy coat and Zelenskyy's T-shirts show the power of fashion in war, Read more here about the study's findings and methodology. However, I spoke with Oleksiy Haran, who runs a think tank here. Support 100 years of independent journalism. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. What they're saying: "In the month since the start of a bloody defensive war with Russia, Zelensky has mobilized Ukrainian forces to repel the invasion and urged Western powers the United States in particular to provide his country with more arms and aid," Pew said. This is a striking turnaround for a leader who was previously seen as inexperienced and ineffective. And it's low, but, you know, just like that skater you met today, people don't really see an alternative. Its not just the media Mr. Zelensky struggles to work with. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Some 92% of Americans have little or no confidence in the Russian leader's handling of world affairs, while 77% have none at all. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the U.S. Congress on March 16, 2022, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. Pew notes that this is a downturn since the start of his term, when that number was closer to 6 in 10 American adults. Volodymyr Zelensky has become a hit across the world . That's been happening in Ukraine for years. Chart. But then he did just that. A fleece jacket worn and signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sold for 90,000, or around $111,000, at a fundraiser for Ukraine in London on Thursday. The biggest risk for Ukraine and the biggest risk for the sovereignty of our state is destabilization within our state, Zelensky said. This would complicate Zelenskyys ambitions for another term in 2024, so the political landscape could change drastically. Americans are more divided over Biden's handling of international affairs, with 48% saying they have confidence in this area and 52% having either not too much or none at all. Has it contributed to the conflict in any way? Zelensky has toed a line between, projecting a strong patriotic front against Russia, and working to delicately stand up to the nationalists. More recently, a top lawmaker was caught on camera drunkenly offering a bribe to a police officer at the site of a car crash he might have caused. His recent failure to gain the support of local districts further exhibits Zelensky and his partys decline and their inability to deliver meaningful political change in Ukraine. March 17, 2022. More than 90 per cent of Ukrainians approve of their leader, compared with just 31 per cent before the Russian invasion. But the successes largely stopped there. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. Ukraines gross domestic product grew by 3.5 percent last year, while anti-corruption efforts appeared to be a priority for the new ruling elite. Notably, Zelenskyy's domestic approval rating had dropped in the leadup to Russia's invasion, but a poll from inside Ukraine shows it has risen sharply in recent weeks. but ultimately became a successful comedian, joining a popular comedy group that performed across the former Soviet Union. So we're going to see if we can find some. . Email. The number of bank holidays in the UK is lower than most countries in Europe, Polluting SUVs have the carbon footprint of a major industrial nation, The strange death of moderate conservatism Audio Long Reads, Axis of Autocrats: Putin, Xi and Lukashenko, Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance, HR, Training and Organisational Development, Information and Communications Technology, Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives, Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities, Science and Technical Research and Development. Do you approve or disapprove of the actions of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky? The very next day, he claimed Russia might invade Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city. ESTRIN: When he was running for president, he said he would fight nepotism. Why did people vote for him so overwhelmingly? Read more here about the study's findings and methodology. 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. International Republican Institute. KELLY: She tells me that when he became president in 2019, that is when the skating rink was built. KELLY: Wow. The New Statesmans global affairs newsletter, every Monday and Friday. And given his nonpolitical roots, one of the unlikeliest. His government was pursuing a political rival on treason . Any decisive move against Russia, on the other hand, risks giving the Kremlin a pretext for a deadly invasion. On March 31, 2019, Zelensky won over 30 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential election, and Poroshenko finished a distant second with 16 percent. KELLY: He's good, she tells me, but she doesn't sound thrilled. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has seen his approval rating skyrocket amid the invasion from Russia. President Volodymyr Zelensky listens during a joint press conference with the Lithuanian president (unseen) after talks at the presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania on Nov. 27, 2019. So did Leon Blum, who faced antisemitic animus in. Zelensky's approval ratings are continuing to rise. 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. And yet, he says, everyone realizes that Russia wants to take advantage of Zelenskyy's lower approval ratings right now to weaken him with this threat of an invasion. So, in a way, who. At that point, Zelensky enjoyed a 70 percent approval rating and Ukraine had the youngest president in its history (41-years-old), the youngest parliament (average age of 41), the youngest prime minister (35) and the youngest cabinet in Europe (average age of 39). 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. Climate Change, Hurricanes and US Security, Opinion: Churn in No. 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's brave response has made me reconsider. [Graph], International Republican Institute, August 11, 2022. Despite early signs of progress, the newly elected President delivered no real reforms, and failed to handle relations with local leaders amid the global coronavirus pandemic. KELLY: NPR's Daniel Estrin, so glad you were here helping to tell this story. What is Zelensky most likely to . The current conflict is more than one country taking over another; it is in the words of one U.S. official a shift in "the world order. "Partisan divides are more evident when it comes to assessments of world leaders other than Putin," Pew says. This time last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the idea Russia would invade. Anyone interested in foreign affairs has an opinion about the war, but how do Ukrainians feel? 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. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Ukraine is one of the few countries that elected a Jewish president, Oksana Markarova, the Ukraine ambassador to the United States, told the National Coalition Supporting Eurasian Jewry in a webinar on Friday. ", (SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE"). 2 target. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Today, Zelensky commands a 96% approval rating in Ukraine and Ms. McGuffie, like many Ukrainians, is enthusiastically backing their president. Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected President of Ukraine on April 21, 2019. "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.". After his nearly three years in office, its clear what the problem is: Mr. Zelenskys tendency to treat everything like a show. 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. 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. 9. "Here are some helpful resources to make sense of it all. That topic is acutely relevant in Ukraine, a post-Soviet republic with a large population of hypernationalists. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. Thanks to an unprecedented effort from the International Republican Institute to conduct a nationwide poll of Ukraine during a time of war, we now know what its people think about the conflict, their leadership and the future of their country. He has. WASHINGTON ( The Borowitz Report )In a development that could upend American politics, Volodymyr Zelensky has emerged as the front-runner in the 2024 U.S. Presidential contest . And Mr. Zelensky, a comedian for most of his life, is in over his head. After taking the Ukrainian political stage by storm, President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Servant of the People party faced off and lost to mayoral parties in the October 2020 local elections. According to opinion polls, the 44-year-old has performed poorly on the domestic political stage since his election three years ago but the jury is still out on his response to Russia's recent aggression. Notably, Zelenskyy's domestic approval rating had dropped in the leadup to Russia's invasion, but a poll from inside Ukraine shows it has risen sharply in recent weeks. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. And there are reports that dozens of others in government have connections to his TV company or his family. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. KELLY: So that brings us to this moment. Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. ESTRIN: Yeah. The approval ratings of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has fallen down amid conflict with Russia. VASYLCHUK: I'm Ukrainian, but (unintelligible) the entire country USSR - former USSR now. Do the public support the nurses strike? Now it is 91 per cent. He beats the incumbent. Since the war began, he has been appealing to world leaders for more support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". INA KULIG: (Non-English language spoken). Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, there were doubts over whether the 44-year-old had the political nous to lead the country during an existential crisis. Boryana Saragerova received a MA in Terrorism, Security & Society from Kings College London. They've still got a Christmas market up. Zelensky declined to debate Poroshenko until two days before the second round of polling would begin, and that meeting had all the trappings of a sporting event. (Presidency of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images). Throughout 2020 his approval rating steadily fell. The front door is - I don't know - 20, 25 feet from this ice skating rink, which is now filling up with kids. A former actor used to the sound of applause, Mr. Zelensky is notoriously thin-skinned when it comes to criticism and challenging questions. He is visibly irritated by traditional journalists: In November, this fractious approach led to unseemly confrontations at a news conference. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. After winning the election as a political novice with 73% of the vote, Mr. Zelenskys public approval rating had fallen to only 25% last October. He has. Other historical figures whose Jewishness featured large in their national leadership include Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th-century British prime minister who was faced unrelenting antisemitism. they were proud to see their country after its history of anti-Jewish pogroms and Soviet-era persecution elect a Jewish president. 1 target, he said in a video message, and his family is the No. January 25, 1978 - Born in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. His hastily assembled team quickly fell apart, and yesterdays allies turned into some of his harshest critics. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. It does not store any personal data. Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his advisers have been arguing in recent days that they don't want to cede any territory to Russia in the . hide caption. : Comedians, Contrarians, Raconteurs & Vulgarians and host of . We are defending Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/bgHyrsbVFs, Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 25, 2022. Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that these funds are extremely important, as they allow us to cover the unfunded part of the state budget and support the segments of the population that need it most. She is 41-year-old Ina Kulig (ph). Total population of the Ukraine 1992-2021, Number of live births in Ukraine 2000-2021, Life expectancy at birth in Ukraine 2020, by gender, Median age of the population in Ukraine 1950-2100, Gross domestic product (GDP) of Ukraine 2021, Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of Ukraine 2021, Labor force participation rate in Ukraine 2019, Youth unemployment rate in Ukraine in 2021, Value of imports of goods to Ukraine 2011 to 2021, National debt of Ukraine in relation to gross domestic product 2005-2021, Ratio of military expenditure to gross domestic product (GDP) in Ukraine 2021, New cases of COVID-19 worldwide from January 23, 2020 to February 26, 2023, by day, Public opinion on Volodymyr Zelensky in Russia in 2019, by age group, Public opinion of Russians on the future of relations with Ukraine 2019, Public trust in Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine 2020-2021, Poll on respect for Trump from other world leaders 2019, Share of adults who think president Donald Trump embodies American values U.S. 2020, Public approval rating of Nigel Farage in the UK 2016, Opinion on delaying Electoral College vote due to Russian hack December 2016, Politics and political participation in Italy, Find your information in our database containing over 20,000 reports. We walk into a small, heated tent, and they hand us skates. But from showbiz, it's hard. People who think the country is . Then he had to deal with the Covid pandemic. That's the name of his TV show - so fictional president becomes real president.