148-413: [REDACTED] Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who is serving as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019, most notably during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine , which has been ongoing since February 2022. Born to a Ukrainian Jewish family, Zelenskyy grew up as a native Russian speaker in Kryvyi Rih ,
296-487: A semi-presidential system in which the roles of the head of state and head of government are separate, thus the president of Ukraine is not the nation's head of government. The prime minister serves as the head of government, a role currently filled by Denys Shmyhal who took office in March 2020. The current president is Volodymyr Zelenskyy , who took the oath of office on 20 May 2019. Due to martial law , elections in
444-657: A Jewish head of state and head of government. In his inaugural address, Zelenskyy dissolved the then Ukrainian parliament and called for early parliamentary elections (which had originally been due to be held in October of that year). One of the parliamentary coalition members, the People's Front , opposed the move and withdrew from the ruling coalition. On 28 May, Zelenskyy restored the Ukrainian citizenship of Mikheil Saakashvili . Zelenskyy's first major proposal to change
592-466: A July phone call between the two presidents to investigate alleged wrongdoing by Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden , who took a board seat on Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings . This report was the catalyst for the Trump–Ukraine scandal and the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump . Zelenskyy has denied that he was pressured by Trump and declared that "he does not want to interfere in
740-580: A briefing to the press in the Office of the president of Ukraine and saying that he would explain everything about the visit when the time came. Zelenskyy's first official trip abroad as president was to Brussels in June 2019, where he met with EU and NATO officials. In August 2019, Zelenskyy promised to lift the moratorium on exhuming Polish mass graves in Ukraine after the previous Ukrainian government banned
888-456: A coup and that the impeachment process has not been properly carried out. On 3 October 2014, a Ukrainian official said that Viktor Yanukovych and other former top officials have obtained Russian citizenship in a "secret decree" signed by Vladimir Putin. If this actually turned out to be true, it would suggest that Yanukovich had given up his claims for presidency as Ukrainian law does not allow for dual citizenship. The modern Ukrainian presidency
1036-817: A foreign election." On a trip to the United States in September 2021, Zelenskyy engaged in talks and commitments with U.S. president Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin , Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm , and Secretary of State Antony Blinken . President Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska also took part in the opening of the Ukrainian House in Washington, D.C. On the same trip, he met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and with Ukrainians in senior positions at Silicon Valley tech companies, and spoke at Stanford University. While Zelenskyy
1184-503: A formal ceasefire with the separatists — the more than twentieth such attempt since the war began in 2014. Although the ceasefire was frequently violated over the next few years and overall violence remained high, ceasefire violations in 2020 did decrease by over 50 percent compared to the previous year. On 8 January 2020, the Presidential Office announced that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was cutting short his trip to Oman owing to
1332-535: A group of deputies. In June 2019 it was announced that the president's third major initiative, which seeks to remove immunity from lawmakers, diplomats and judges, would be submitted after the July 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election . 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. On 8 July, Zelenskyy ordered
1480-648: A law degree from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics , then a department of Kyiv National Economic University and now part of Kryvyi Rih National University , but never worked in the legal field. At age 17, he joined his local team competing in the KVN comedy competition. He was soon invited to join the united Ukrainian team "Zaporizhzhia-Kryvyi Rih-Transit," which performed in the KVN's Major League and eventually won in 1997. That same year, he created and headed
1628-550: A major city of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in central Ukraine. He obtained a degree in law from the Kryvyi Rih Institute of Economics , but never practised law and pursued a career in comedy and entertainment. He created the production company Kvartal 95 , which produced films, cartoons, and TV shows including the TV series Servant of the People , in which Zelenskyy played a fictional Ukrainian president. The series aired from 2015 to 2019 and
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#17327831924461776-507: A minimum two-thirds of the parliament (300 members) must support the impeachment procedure. To remove the president from office, a minimum three-quarters of parliament (338 members) must support the resolution. The Constitutional and the Supreme Court of Ukraine 's conclusions and decisions are considered at the parliamentary meetings. In the event that a president dies in office or is incapable of committing their duties as president,
1924-469: A nomination deposit of 2,500,000 hryvnias (approx. 90,000 US Dollars) which is refunded only to those candidates that progress to the second round of voting. The last presidential elections took place on 21 April 2019. According to Article 104 of the Constitution, the president of Ukraine assumes office no later than in thirty days after the official announcement of the election results, from
2072-507: A partner organization also runs an annual online reader's poll that has no effect on the selection. The tradition of selecting a "Man of the Year" began privately in 1927, with Time editors contemplating the news makers of the year after a series of "slow news days" leading up to New Year's Day. The idea originally focused on a Man of the Week before it was decided to use Lindbergh to represent
2220-527: A personal holiday with government business. His office said Zelenskyy paid for the entire trip himself. Nevertheless, he was criticized for a lack of transparency and critics pointed out he had once criticized his predecessor Poroshenko for taking an undisclosed vacation in the Maldives . In January 2021, parliament passed a bill updating and reforming Ukraine's referendum laws, which Ukraine's Constitutional Court had declared unconstitutional in 2018. Fixing
2368-564: A plurality of the electorate (30%) in the first round of elections on 31 March 2019. In the second round, on 21 April 2019, he received 73 percent of the vote to Poroshenko's 25 percent and was elected President of Ukraine. Polish president Andrzej Duda was one of the first European leaders to congratulate Zelenskyy. French president Emmanuel Macron received Zelenskyy at the Élysée Palace in Paris on 12 April 2019. On 22 April, U.S. president Donald Trump congratulated Zelenskyy on his victory over
2516-507: A political compromise. A snap election was held in 1994 , which was won by Ukraine's former Prime Minister Leonid Kuchma . Kuchma was re-elected for a second term of office in 1999 . The 2004 election was marked by controversy with allegations of electoral fraud in the conduct of the second round runoff ballot between opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko and the government-backed candidate and former Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych. After mass nationwide protests, colloquially known as
2664-471: A result of this election Yanukovych was elected the fourth modern president of Ukraine. After Yanukovych was removed from power in early 2014 as a result of the 2014 Revolution of Dignity , the chairperson of parliament Oleksandr Turchynov was appointed to the role of acting president by the Verkhovna Rada in accordance with article 112 of the Constitution of Ukraine. Oleksandr Turchynov served as
2812-440: A whole in international affairs. The president has the authority to conduct negotiations and sign treaties on behalf of the Ukrainian government. The right to recognize foreign nations rests solely with the president. The president may appoint and dismiss heads of diplomatic missions of Ukraine to other states and to international organisations and accept the recall of diplomatic representatives to Ukraine of foreign states. Although
2960-593: Is colloquially known as "Bankova", because it is located on Bankova Street in a massive building across from the House with Chimaeras. The head of the office, the Chief Secretary, acts as the gray cardinal for the president in Ukrainian politics. Around fourteen state residences are allocated for official presidential use, many of which remain from the Kuchma-era presidency. The official ceremonial residence
3108-625: Is not considered civil service work, lustration did not apply to him. A number of the members of the Presidential Administration Zelenskyy appointed were former colleagues from his former production company, Kvartal 95, including Ivan Bakanov, who became deputy head of the Ukrainian Secret Service (SBU). Former deputy foreign minister Olena Zerkal declined an appointment as deputy head of the presidential administration, but did agree to serve as
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#17327831924463256-671: Is offered by the State Department of Affairs (abbreviated as DUS) that is created for state officials and subordinated to the president of Ukraine. DUS is a supporting state agency that was restructured in 2000 out of the Presidential Directory of Affairs. Primarily the agency is designated for the president and its administration, while also provides support for the Cabinet of Ministers, parliament, and other state agencies if budget permits. Time Person of
3404-434: Is often regarded as an honor and spoken of as an award or prize, simply based on many previous selections of admirable people. However, Time points out that controversial figures such as Adolf Hitler (1938); Joseph Stalin (1939 and 1942); Nikita Khrushchev (1957); and Ayatollah Khomeini (1979) have also been granted the title for their impact on events. Nevertheless, as a result of the public backlash it received from
3552-502: Is pose for a picture with each other. And do an interview together.' I said 'OK.' They call Mel up, he agrees. They set the date and time in LA. I'm to fly there. He's flying from Australia. Something happens when he gets home ... Next thing, Mel calls up and says, 'I'm not doing it. I've thought it over and it is not the right thing to do.' So they put Bush on the cover." On November 24, 2017, US president Donald Trump , who had this title
3700-593: Is still ongoing. Zelenskyy's strategy during the Russian military buildup was to calm the Ukrainian populace and assure the international community that Ukraine was not seeking to retaliate. He initially distanced himself from warnings of an imminent war, while also calling for security guarantees and military support from NATO to "withstand" the threat. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy remained in Kyiv, declining international offers to evacuate him from
3848-867: Is the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv. Other state residences include the House with Chimaeras and the House of the Weeping Widow in Kyiv, the Yusupov Palace in Crimea , and Synehora in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast . In addition, each former president has been allotted a state-owned dacha (house) in the former forest preserve in Koncha-Zaspa . A lot of additional material-technical, social-communal, health care provision support
3996-522: Is the Mariinskyi Palace , located in the Pechersk district of the capital Kyiv . Other official residences include the House with Chimaeras and the House of the Weeping Widow , which are used for official visits by foreign representatives. The Office of the President of Ukraine , unofficially known as "Bankova" in reference to the street it is located on, serves as the presidential office, advising
4144-450: Is the head of state of Ukraine . The president represents the nation in international relations , administers the foreign political activity of the state, conducts negotiations and concludes international treaties. The president is directly elected by the citizens of Ukraine for a five-year term of office (whether the presidential election is early or scheduled), limited to two terms consecutively. The president's official residence
4292-403: Is the head of state while the prime minister is the head of government with the current prime minister being Denys Shmyhal . Ukraine is somewhat unusual in that while many countries use a similar system typically the role of one leader is relegated to being ceremonial, in Ukraine however both the prime minister and the president have great power and responsibility assigned to their roles. Because
4440-408: The 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election with closed lists based on the reasoning that the 60-day term to the snap election did not "leave any chances for the introduction of this system." In addition, on 6 June, lawmakers refused to include Zelenskyy's key initiative on reintroducing criminal liability for illegal enrichment in the parliament's agenda, and instead included a similar bill proposed by
4588-496: The British Virgin Islands , Cyprus , and Belize . These companies included some that owned expensive London property. Around the time of his 2019 election , Zelenskyy handed his shares in a key offshore company over to Serhiy Shefir , but the two men appear to have arranged for Zelenskyy's family to continue receiving the money from these companies. Zelenskyy's election campaign had centred on pledges to clean up
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4736-625: The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada becomes the acting president until a new president is elected. The acting president is not given the authority to address the nation and parliament, dismiss the legislative branch and appoint candidates for parliamentary approval of government and judicial posts. The acting president cannot call for a referendum, grant military ranks and state orders and exercise their right of pardon. There are no constitutional provisions for presidential succession in case both
4884-579: The Presidential Administration of Ukraine . Before this, Bohdan had been the lawyer of Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi. Under the rules of Lustration in Ukraine , introduced in 2014 following Euromaidan , Bohdan is not entitled to hold any state office until 2024 (because of his government post during the Second Azarov Government ). Bohdan, however, contended that because heading the presidential administration
5032-552: The Red Army (in the 57th Guards Motor Rifle Division ) during World War II ; Semyon's father and three brothers were killed in the Holocaust . In March 2022, Zelenskyy said that his great-grandparents had been killed after German troops burned their home to the ground during a massacre . His grandmother survived World War II after leaving Kryvyi Rih in an evacuation of Jews to Almaty , Kazakhstan , and returned to Ukraine after
5180-605: The Russo-Ukrainian War Zelenskyy's Kvartal 95 had donated ₴ 1 million to the Ukrainian army , some Russian politicians and artists petitioned for a ban on his works in Russia. In 2015, Zelenskyy became the star of the television series Servant of the People , where he played the role of the president of Ukraine. In the series, Zelenskyy's character was a high-school history teacher in his 30s who won
5328-770: The Security Service of Ukraine with the Verkhovna Rada's consent. One-half of the Council of the National Bank of Ukraine and the National Council of Ukraine on Television and Radio Broadcasting is reserved for the president to select. In addition to serving as the head of state, the president is the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Supreme Commander-in-Chief (Article 106, paragraph 17) and the Head of
5476-819: The Soviet offensive in 1920 brought control of the Ukrainian territory under the Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic , the Ukrainian People's Republic was forced into exile. Upon the assassination of Petliura, the control over the state affairs were transferred to the former Prime Minister Andriy Livytskyi who in 1948 created the office of the president of Ukraine. Livytskyi served as the first president (in exile) until January 1954. Stepan Vytvytskyi served after Livytskyi from January 1954 until his death on 9 October 1965. Following Vytvytskyi's death, Ivan Bahrianyi temporarily carried out
5624-660: The Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 plane crash in nearby Iran the same day. Also on the same day, internet news site Obozrevatel.com released information that on 7 January 2020, Ukrainian politician of the Opposition Platform — For Life Medvedchuk – who has exclusive relations with the current president of Russia – may have arrived in Oman. Soon, rumors began that Zelenskyy may have had some additional meetings beside
5772-430: The Ukrainian - and Russian-speaking parts of the country's population . His communication style makes extensive use of social media , particularly Instagram . His party won a landslide victory in the snap legislative election held shortly after his inauguration as president. During the first two years of his administration, Zelenskyy oversaw the lifting of legal immunity for members of parliament (the Verkhovna Rada ),
5920-650: The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic . His father, Oleksandr Zelenskyy , is a professor and computer scientist and the head of the Department of Cybernetics and Computing Hardware at the Kryvyi Rih State University of Economics and Technology ; his mother, Rymma Zelenska, is a retired engineer. His grandfather, Semyon Zelenskyy [ uk ] , served as an infantryman, reaching the rank of colonel in
6068-552: The Verkhovna Rada (parliament), and nominates candidates for the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of defence in the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers . Six out of eighteen of the Constitutional Court judges are appointed by the president. Decisions of the president are subject to review by Ukraine's courts with the Constitutional Court having the sole authority and power to declare decrees of
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6216-446: The economy and attract investment to Ukraine through "a restart of the judicial system " and restoring confidence in the state. He also proposed a tax amnesty and a 5-per-cent flat tax for big business which could be increased "in dialogue with them and if everyone agrees." According to Zelenskyy, if people would notice that his new government "works honestly from the first day," they would start paying their taxes. Zelenskyy achieved
6364-430: The government of Ukraine . In March 2018, members of Zelenskyy's production company Kvartal 95 registered a new political party called Servant of the People – the same name as the television program that Zelenskyy had starred in over the previous three years. Although Zelenskyy denied any immediate plans to enter politics and said he had registered the party name only to prevent it being appropriated by others, there
6512-486: The " Orange Revolution ", a new election was held on 26 December 2004 in which Yushchenko was declared the winner with 52% of the vote and was subsequently sworn into office on 23 January 2005. Yanukovych again served as Prime Minister. The 2010 election took place on 17 January, with a run-off on 7 February due to a 13 May Constitutional Court ruling striking down 25 October date that the parliament called in April 2009. As
6660-575: The "strategy for de-occupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol ." By October 2021, Zelenskyy's approval rating had fallen further to 24.7%, but was still above or on par with most of his predecessors' at the same point in their presidencies. One of Zelenskyy's central campaign promises had been to end the Russo-Ukrainian War and resolve
6808-499: The 11 already chosen, as counterparts to the Man of the Year choices from the past century. Despite the name, the title is not just granted to individuals. Pairs of people such as married couples and political opponents, classes of people, and inanimate objects have all been selected for the special year-end issue. Multiple named people Classes of unnamed people Inanimate objects Abstract concepts In 1949, Winston Churchill
6956-578: The American audience for naming Khomeini Man of the Year in 1979, the magazine's editors have since shied away from using figures who are controversial in the United States, fearing reductions in sales or advertising revenue. Time ' s Person of the Year for 2001, immediately following the September 11 attacks , was Rudy Giuliani , who was then mayor of New York City . The stated rules of selection—the individual or group of individuals who have had
7104-676: The Central Rada was arrested and liquidated during a coup d'état initiated by the local German administration to install Hetman Pavlo Skoropadskyi who barely spoke a word of the Ukrainian language . In November of the same year the directorate government of the UPR was established as the opposition movement to the Skoropadsky's regime. The Ukrainian People's Republic was soon re-established in December 1918 with Volodymyr Vynnychenko as
7252-471: The Conqueror for the 11th century, Saladin for the 12th century, Genghis Khan for the 13th century, Giotto for the 14th century, Johannes Gutenberg for the 15th century, Elizabeth I for the 16th century, Isaac Newton for the 17th century, Thomas Jefferson for the 18th century, and Thomas Edison for the 19th century. Despite the magazine's frequent statements to the contrary, the designation
7400-483: The Constitution and human rights and freedoms. As stated in Article 106 , the president ensures state independence, national security and the legal succession of the state, also serving as supreme commander-in-chief of the military. Unlike in other semi-presidential systems of government, the president of Ukraine does not belong to the executive branch of government. The Prime Minister is Ukraine's head of government. Thus,
7548-599: The Constitution, offending the honour and dignity of the president is punishable by law, although no such law has yet been enacted. The president's personal security is provided by the Directory of State Security of Ukraine and a separate presidential regiment provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs . For their services to the state, the president is allotted a yearly gross salary of ₴ 28,000/mo or 336,000/yr ( $ 13,500/yr, 2016). All official and state visits made by
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#17327831924467696-478: The Council of Ministers of Crimea that are deemed to contradict the Ukrainian Constitution and can provide the presidential consent on a nominee for Prime Minister of Crimea . The Constitution of Ukraine states that the title of President of Ukraine is preserved by law for the lifetime of the holder, if the president is not removed from the post by impeachment proceedings. In order to impeach
7844-504: The Directorate's chairperson, serving as the republic's de facto second "president" from 19 December 1918 to 10 February 1919. Although really the Directorate was the temporary governing body until the new Ukrainian Constituent Assembly would elect its president. Symon Petliura assumed the representation of the state after Vynnychenko's resignation on 11 February 1919 and until Petlyura's assassination in Paris on 25 May 1926. After
7992-475: The Kremlin by leaving Ukrainians vulnerable to Russian aggression. Ultimately, the peace deal failed to reduce the violence, much less end the war. In December 2019, Russia and Ukraine agreed to resume talks mediated by France and Germany under the so-called Normandy Format , which had been abandoned in 2016; it was Zelenskyy's first face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin. In July 2020, Zelenskyy announced
8140-696: The Kvartal 95 team, which later transformed into the comedy outfit Kvartal 95. From 1998 to 2003, Kvartal 95 performed in the Major League and the highest open Ukrainian league of KVN, and the team members spent a lot of time in Moscow and constantly toured around post-Soviet countries . In 2003, Kvartal 95 started producing TV shows for the Ukrainian TV channel 1+1 , and in 2005, the team moved to fellow Ukrainian TV channel Inter . In 2008, he starred in
8288-542: The National Security and Defence Council, which advises the president regarding national security policy on domestic and international matters. The president can submit a declaration of war to the parliament and order the use of the Ukrainian Army and military formations in defence of aggression. Martial law can also be declared on the territory of Ukraine if state independence is deemed in danger. With
8436-560: The Opposition before his second premiership; Charles de Gaulle was chosen while being elected President of France before formally taking office ; Lech Wałęsa and Nelson Mandela were chosen before being elected President of Poland and President of South Africa , respectively. Before 1999, four women were granted the title as individuals: three as "Woman of the Year"— Wallis Simpson (1936), Queen Elizabeth II (1952), and Corazon Aquino (1986)—and one as half of "Man and Wife of
8584-425: The People, won the first single-party majority in modern Ukrainian history in parliament, with 43 percent of the party-list vote. His party gained 254 of the 424 seats. Following the elections, Zelenskyy nominated Oleksiy Honcharuk as prime minister, who was quickly confirmed by parliament. Parliament also confirmed Andrii Zahorodniuk as defence minister, Vadym Prystaiko as foreign minister and Bakanov as head of
8732-703: The Polish side from carrying out any exhumations of Polish victims of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army -perpetrated Volhynian massacres , following the removal of a memorial to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in Hruszowice , southeastern Poland. In September 2019, it was reported that U.S. president Trump had allegedly blocked payment of a congressionally mandated $ 400-million military aid package to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy during
8880-401: The Rada, Zelenskyy recommitted to reforms domestic and financial, and remarked that he "cannot always become a psychologist for people, a crisis manager for someone, a collector who requires honestly earned money, and a nanny of the ministry in charge." By September 2020, Zelenskyy's approval ratings had fallen to less than 32 percent. On 24 March 2021, Zelenskyy signed Decree 117/2021 approving
9028-408: The Russia-sponsored separatist movement there. On 3 June, Zelenskyy appointed former president Leonid Kuchma as Ukraine's representative in the Tripartite Contact Group for a settlement in the conflict. On 11 July 2019, Zelenskyy held his first telephone conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin , during which he urged Putin to enter into talks mediated by EU. The two leaders also discussed
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#17327831924469176-437: The SBU. Arsen Avakov , a controversial figure due to longstanding corruption allegations, was kept on as interior minister , with Honcharuk arguing that the relatively inexperienced government needed experienced administrators and that Avakov had been "'drawn red lines' that cannot be crossed." Zelenskyy dismissed Bohdan as head of his presidential administration on 11 February 2020 and appointed Andriy Yermak as his successor
9324-480: The Servant of the People series and Zelenskyy's other comedy shows, and argued along with fellow scholar Mattia Zulianello that Zelenskyy and his party were examples of "valence populism" focused on "non-positional topics, such as anti-corruption appeals, political transparency and moral integrity", rather than "economic and socio-cultural issues". Before the elections, Zelenskyy presented a team that included former finance minister Oleksandr Danylyuk and others. During
9472-425: The Soviet Union, the office's official title was changed to "President of Ukraine" on 24 August. In the current Constitution, the Ukrainian presidency is defined in Chapter V , Articles 102–112. So far, seven presidential elections have been conducted. The first election in 1991 was held at the same time as Ukrainians voted to support the Declaration of Independence in the independence referendum . Leonid Kravchuk
9620-423: The TV channel 1+1. His announcement up-staged the New Year's Eve address of incumbent president Petro Poroshenko on the same channel, which Zelenskyy said was unintentional and attributed to a technical glitch. Zelenskyy's presidential campaign against Poroshenko was almost entirely virtual. He did not release a detailed policy platform and his engagement with mainstream media was minimal; he instead reached out to
9768-408: The UPR proclaimed its independence from Russia . On 29 April 1918, the Rada elected Mykhailo Hrushevsky as the first president of the Central Rada of the Ukrainian People's Republic, in effect making him the de facto leader of the republic. Although a rather widespread misconception, the state leadership position title varied and none of them had an official "presidential" title. On 29 April 1918
9916-405: The Ukrainian representative of the international courts concerning Russia. Zelenskyy's requests to replace the foreign minister, defence minister , chief prosecutor and head of Ukraine's security service were rejected by parliament. Zelenskyy also dismissed and replaced 20 of the governors of Ukraine's 24 oblasts . In the 21 July 2019 parliamentary election, Zelenskyy's political party, Servant of
10064-408: The Year Person of the Year (called Man of the Year or Woman of the Year until 1999) is an annual issue of the American news magazine and website Time featuring a person, group, idea, or object that "for better or for worse ... has done the most to influence the events of the year". The editors select the featured subject in a "secretive ... process", though the Time website or
10212-424: The Year Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Dreamer of the Year Donnel Baird , an interview with Icon of the Year Michelle Yeoh and a performance from Breakthrough of the Year Mickey Guyton . In 2020, Heroes of the Year was awarded in partnership with State Farm . Athlete of the Year was awarded in partnership with Oura Health in 2021 and LG in 2022. In 2019 and 2020, this selection was called Businessperson of
10360-432: The Year (later renamed CEO of the Year), Entertainer of the Year and Guardians of the Year in 2019, Kid of the Year in 2020, Breakthrough Artist of the Year (later renamed Breakthrough of the Year), Dreamer of the Year, Icon of the Year and Innovator of the Year in 2022 and Team of the Year in 2023. In 2022, Time hosted its first Person of the Year Reception at Plaza Hotel . The event featured video messages from Person of
10508-424: The Year either the year they were elected or while they were in office; the only one to be given the title before being elected was Dwight D. Eisenhower , in 1944, as Supreme Commander of the Allied Invasion Force , eight years before his first election. He subsequently received the title again in 1959 while in office. Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first chosen US president and is the only person to have received
10656-440: The Year", Soong Mei-ling (jointly with Chiang Kai-shek ) in 1937. "American Women" were recognized as a group in 1975. Other classes of people recognized comprise both men and women, such as " Hungarian Freedom Fighters " (1956), "U.S. Scientists" (1960), " The Inheritors " (1966), " The Middle Americans " (1969), "The American Soldier" (1950 and 2003), " You " (2006), "The Protester" (2011), and " Ebola Fighters " (2014). However,
10804-685: The Year". In 1999, the title was changed to the gender-neutral "Person of the Year" (its first recipient under the new name being Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com ). Women who have been selected for recognition after the renaming include "The Whistleblowers" ( Cynthia Cooper , Coleen Rowley , and Sherron Watkins ) in 2002; Melinda Gates (jointly with Bill Gates and Bono ) in 2005; Angela Merkel (2015); "The Silence Breakers" (2017); Greta Thunberg (2019); Kamala Harris (jointly with Joe Biden ) in 2020; and Taylor Swift (2023). To celebrate International Women's Day in 2020, Time editors released 89 new magazine covers, each showing women, in addition to
10952-481: The Year. In 2022, Entertainer of the Year was awarded in partnership with Montblanc . In 2022, this selection was called Breakthrough Artist of the Year Dreamer of the Year is awarded in partnership with American Family Insurance . Team of the Year is awarded in partnership with Smartsheet . In 2020, Guardians of the Year was awarded in partnership with Amazon . Time also holds an online poll for
11100-514: The acting president from 23 February until 7 June 2014 and was the only person in Ukrainian history to serve in the role. The acting president of Ukraine lacks many of the executive powers of a president and is only meant to serve for a short time before a new election can take place. During his tenure Oleksandr Turchynov was addressed as "acting president" by other Ukrainian politicians and the media. The 2014 election took place on 25 May, with entrepreneur Petro Poroshenko winning over 54 percent of
11248-470: The agreement, including the far-right Azov fighters in the Luhansk region of Donbas. Zelenskyy met personally with some of these groups and tried to convince them to surrender their unregistered weapons and accept the peace accord. Andriy Biletsky , the leader of the far-right National Corps and first commander of Azov, accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful to army veterans and of acting on behalf of
11396-535: The bigger influence on the year's events—made Osama bin Laden the more likely choice that year; however, Giuliani was selected for symbolizing the American response to the attacks, in the same way that Albert Einstein was selected Person of the Century for representing a century of scientific exploration and wonder instead of Adolf Hitler, who was arguably a stronger candidate. The selections were ultimately based on, as
11544-633: The campaign, concerns were raised over his links to the oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi , a billionaire businessman who had gained control of the 1+1 Media Group in 2010. The group operates eight Ukrainian TV channels and broadcast the Servant of the People TV series from 2015 until 2019, featuring Zelenskyy playing the President of Ukraine. Poroshenko and his supporters claimed that Zelenskyy's victory would benefit Russia. On 19 April 2019 at Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex presidential debates were held in
11692-402: The cancellation of the annual Kyiv Independence Day Parade on Maidan Nezalezhnosti , citing costs. Despite this, Zelenskyy highlighted that the day would "honor heroes" on Independence Day, however, the "format will be new." He also proposed to spend the money that would have been used to finance the parade on veterans. In 2020, Zelenskyy's party proposed reforms to Ukraine's media laws with
11840-518: The capital under attack; he declared martial law across Ukraine and a general mobilisation of the armed forces. Zelenskyy was named the Time Person of the Year for 2022. He has frequently visited frontline and newly liberated areas, and has regularly appeared unshaven and wearing an olive-green, military-style shirt instead of a suit. Zelenskyy's term was originally scheduled to end in May 2024, but
11988-457: The ceremony in Ukraine's parliament ( Verkhovna Rada ), including Salome Zourabichvili ( Georgia ), Kersti Kaljulaid ( Estonia ), Raimonds Vējonis ( Latvia ), Dalia Grybauskaitė ( Lithuania ), János Áder ( Hungary ), Maroš Šefčovič (EU), and Rick Perry (United States). Zelenskyy is the first Jewish president of Ukraine; with Volodymyr Groysman as prime minister, Ukraine became the first country other than Israel to simultaneously have
12136-550: The confirmation of the Verkhovna Rada, a state of emergency or zones of ecological emergency can also be adopted by the president. Unconditional pardon is reserved exclusively for the president; however, this right cannot be exercised by an acting president. The president can also confer citizens with state orders such as the Hero of Ukraine or confer high military, diplomatic and other ranks and class orders. Citizenship and political asylum in Ukraine can be granted and revoked by
12284-446: The country for the past 10 years and has full command of the Ukrainian state language . Per the Constitution, regular presidential elections are scheduled to be held on the last Sunday of the last month of the fifth year of the incumbent president's term. If the president's authority has ended pre-term, then the elections must be held within 90 days of the incumbent president's end of term. Candidates seeking election are required to pay
12432-630: The country have been suspended. The president is also the supreme commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces , and heads the National Security and Defence Council , which advises the president, co-ordinates and controls executive power in the sphere of national security and defence. According to the Constitution of Ukraine , the president is the guarantor of the state's sovereignty , territorial indivisibility,
12580-846: The country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic recession , and some limited progress in tackling corruption in Ukraine . A poll in May 2021 by the Rating Group gave Zelenskyy the highest trust rating out of all Ukrainian presidents, and ranked him as the second-best president after Leonid Kuchma . During his presidential campaign, Zelenskyy promised to end Ukraine's protracted conflict with Russia , and he has attempted to engage in dialogue with Russian president Vladimir Putin . His administration faced an escalation of tensions with Russia in 2021, culminating in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which
12728-479: The cover. The U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt was named Man of the Year for a record third time, although Dumbo's Mammal of the Year profile still appeared on the inside pages of the magazine. Filmmaker Michael Moore claims that director Mel Gibson cost him the opportunity to be Person of the Year alongside Gibson in 2004. Moore's controversial political documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 became
12876-402: The election months before he confirmed his candidacy. He won the election with 73.23 percent of the vote in the second round, defeating Poroshenko in the biggest landslide in the history of Ukrainian presidential elections . Zelenskyy has positioned himself as an anti-establishment and anti-corruption figure. As president, he has been a proponent of e-government and of unity between
13024-402: The electoral system from a plurality voting system to proportional representation with closed party lists was strongly rejected by the Ukrainian parliament , due to the belief that closed lists would lead to more corruption in government. Zelenskyy had earlier called for the introduction of open list election ballots, such as during his inauguration speech, but his proposal would have held
13172-445: The electorate via social media channels and YouTube clips. In place of traditional campaign rallies, he conducted stand-up comedy routines across Ukraine with his production company Kvartal 95. On 16 April 2019, a few days before the election, 20 Ukrainian news outlets called on Zelenskyy to "stop avoiding journalists." Zelenskyy stated that he was not hiding from journalists but that he did not want to go to talk shows where "people of
13320-507: The exchange of prisoners held by both sides. In October 2019, Zelenskyy announced a preliminary deal struck with the separatists, under which the Ukrainian government would respect elections held in the region in exchange for Russia withdrawing its unmarked troops . The deal was met with heavy criticism and protests by both politicians and the Ukrainian public. Detractors noted that elections held in Donbas were unlikely to be free and fair, that
13468-527: The feature film Love in the Big City , and its sequel, Love in the Big City 2 . Zelenskyy continued his movie career with the film Office Romance. Our Time in 2011 and with Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon in 2012. Love in the Big City 3 was released in January 2014. Zelenskyy also played the leading role in the 2012 film 8 First Dates and in sequels that were produced in 2015 and 2016. He recorded
13616-520: The form of a show. In his introductory speech, Zelenskyy acknowledged that in 2014 he voted for Poroshenko, but "I was mistaken. We were mistaken. We voted for one Poroshenko, but received another. The first appears when there are video cameras, the other Petro sends Medvedchuk privietiki (greetings) to Moscow." Although Zelenskyy initially said he would serve only a single term, he walked back this promise in May 2021, saying he had not yet made up his mind. Zelenskyy stated that as president he would develop
13764-491: The highest-grossing documentary of all time the same year Gibson's The Passion of the Christ became a box-office success and also caused significant controversy. Moore said in an interview "I got a call right after the '04 election from an editor from Time Magazine. He said,' Time Magazine has picked you and Mel Gibson to be Time's Person of the Year to put on the cover, Right and Left, Mel and Mike. The only thing you have to do
13912-409: The intent to increase competition and loosen the dominance of Ukrainian oligarchs on television and radio broadcasters. Critics said it risked increasing media censorship in Ukraine because its clause of criminal responsibility for the distribution of disinformation could be abused. In January 2020, Zelenskyy took a trip to Oman that was not published on his official schedule, appearing to combine
14060-519: The intention of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to ban Russian artists from Ukraine. Since 2015, Ukraine has banned some Russian artists and Russian media and art from entering Ukraine. In 2018, the romantic comedy Love in the Big City 2 starring Zelenskyy was banned in Ukraine due to the film not following the Law of Ukraine on cinematography. After the Ukrainian media reported that during
14208-531: The interests of all compatriots, and to enhance the prestige of Ukraine in the world. After conducting the oath, the president signs the text of the oath of office and transfers it over to the Chairperson of the Constitutional Court. According to Article 102 of the Constitution, the president is the guarantor of state sovereignty and territorial indivisibility of Ukraine, the observer of
14356-491: The latter being replaced by acting president Oleksandr Turchynov , who then also served as Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament , on 21 February 2014. Oleksandr Turchynov was the only acting president in Ukraine's modern history. The powers of an acting president are severely limited. On 18 June 2015, Yanukovych was officially deprived of the title of president of Ukraine. The Government of Ukraine utilizes
14504-418: The legislative branch of government compared to other European heads of state. They may disband the parliament and call for early elections. This power has only been used twice to date, first by president Viktor Yushchenko in 2007 , and by president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2019 . The legislative branches' check on the president includes the right to overturn a presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote of
14652-423: The magazine describes it, "who they believed had a stronger influence on history and who represented either the year or the century the most." In 1941, the fictional elephant Dumbo from Walt Disney 's animated film of the same name was selected to be "Mammal of the Year", and a cover was created showing the title character in a formal portrait style. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 pre-empted
14800-529: The main Person of the Year, Time (sometimes alongside a partner company) acknowledges impactful people or groups in other categories. This is a relatively recent practice, beginning in 1998 when Mark McGwire was awarded the title of Hero of the Year and becoming a regular event in 2018 with the re-introduction of the Heroes of the Year award. Heroes of the Year was joined by Athlete of the Year, Businessperson of
14948-441: The moment of taking the oath to the people at a ceremonial meeting of the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. If the president is elected following special elections in the event of the previous president's resignation, impeachment or death, the president-elect must take oath of office within five days after the publication of the official election results. The Chairperson of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine administers
15096-437: The newly elected Ukrainian president Leonid Kravchuk at his inauguration ceremony. In his declaration, it is stated that the current Ukrainian state is the legal successor following the state traditions of the Ukrainian People's Republic, establishing the continuity of the republic. Viktor Yanukovych has claimed to be the legitimate president of Ukraine stating that the events of the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution amounted to
15244-816: The oath of office. The president-elect recites the Ukrainian oath of office with their hand on the Constitution and the Peresopnytsia Gospels : The Ukrainian text of the oath according to the article 104 is: Я, (ім'я та прізвище), волею народу обраний Президентом України, заступаючи на цей високий пост, урочисто присягаю на вірність Україні. Зобов'язуюсь усіма своїми справами боронити суверенітет і незалежність України, дбати про благо Вітчизни і добробут Українського народу, обстоювати права і свободи громадян, додержуватися Конституції України і законів України, виконувати свої обов'язки в інтересах усіх співвітчизників, підносити авторитет України у світі. Official English translation: I, (name and surname), elected by
15392-422: The observance of the Constitution of Ukraine and human and citizens' rights and freedoms. As with the separation of powers , the president has checks on the authority of parliament and the judicial system. For instance, any law passed by the parliament can be vetoed by the president; however, parliament can override their veto with a 2/3 constitutional majority vote. The president has limited authority to disband
15540-407: The old power" were "just doing PR " and that he did not have time to satisfy all interview requests. Zelenskyy styled himself as an anti-establishment , anti-corruption figure, and said he wished to restore trust in politicians, "to bring professional, decent people to power" and to "change the mood and timbre of the political establishment.". Atlantic Council member Anders Aslund said Zelenskyy
15688-453: The ones that were announced. On 14 January 2020, Yermak dismissed the rumors as speculations and baseless conspiracy theories, while Medvedchuk stated that the plane was used by his older daughter's family to fly from Oman to Moscow. Later, Yermak contacted the on-line newspaper Ukrainian Truth and gave more details about the visit to Oman and the plane crash in Iran. On 17 January 2020,
15836-518: The ongoing Russian invasion and the imposition of martial law prevented the regularly scheduled presidential election from being conducted. He is expected to remain president for the duration of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Due to this extension of his term, Zelenskyy is the second-longest serving president in Ukrainian history, after only Kuchma. Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy was born to Jewish parents on 25 January 1978 in Kryvyi Rih , then in
15984-528: The online poll was instituted, "readers were invited to weigh in by mail." Since the list began, every serving president of the United States has been a Man or Person of the Year at least once, with the exceptions of Calvin Coolidge (in office at the time of the first issue), Herbert Hoover (the subsequent president), and Gerald Ford (the only president never to have been elected to the office of president or vice president). Most were named Man or Person of
16132-495: The parliament. The president can suspend acts passed by the Cabinet of Ministers if they contradict the intent of the Constitution and challenge such acts with the Constitutional Court, one-third of which can be appointed (and dismissed) by the president. Ukrainian law also allows the president to establish new jurisdictional districts and courts. In addition, the president can select the Prosecutor General and Head of
16280-463: The power to submit a proposal for the nomination of the Prime Minister; the Verkhovna Rada, through a constitutional majority, has to support the candidacy. Laws passed by the Verkhovna Rada have to be signed by the president to become officially promulgated . The president also has the authority to create consultative, advisory and other subordinate government bodies for their authority with
16428-439: The predominant story of 1927, with the magazine listing him as Man of the Year being published in early 1928. The idea was also an attempt to remedy the editorial embarrassment earlier that year of not having aviator Charles Lindbergh on its cover following his historic transatlantic flight . By the end of the year, it was decided that a cover story featuring Lindbergh as the Man of the Year would serve both purposes. Before
16576-473: The president and chairperson's posts are vacant. An election as President of Ukraine garners many privileges of office to an individual. Full legal immunity is granted from all prosecutions and legal proceedings, excluding parliament's right to impeach the president during their tenure. The title of President of Ukraine itself is protected by law and is reserved for the president for life, unless they have been impeached from office. According to Article 105 of
16724-606: The president are operated by the Ukraine Air Enterprise presidential airplanes. All required aviation transportation is provided by the State Aviation Company "Ukraina" (Ukraine Air Enterprise), the headquarters of which is located in Boryspil . The Office of the President of Ukraine is an administrative body set up to provide analytical, advisory and legal assistance to the president. It
16872-462: The president does not head the executive branch of government, he has the right to nominate their candidates for Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine . As per the checks and balances system of Ukrainian government, the president can veto laws adopted by the Verkhovna Rada (except constitutional amendments). The president wields high power in
17020-437: The president in the domestic, foreign and legal matters. Since the office's establishment on 5 December 1991, there have been six presidents of Ukraine. Leonid Kravchuk was the inaugural president, serving three years from 1991 until his resignation in 1994. Leonid Kuchma was the only president to have served two consecutive terms in office. Viktor Yushchenko , Petro Poroshenko , and Viktor Yanukovych served one term, with
17168-426: The president of Ukraine and as regulated by law. The president of Ukraine appoints heads of regional state administrations ( oblderzhadministratsia ) after a nomination by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, presidential representatives to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , Verkhovna Rada, and others. The president does not act as an ex officio head of state of Crimea. The president can revoke any laws passed by
17316-431: The president of Ukraine must approve the appointment of the prime minister, the post of president is generally thought of as the more powerful role. The Ukrainian president is elected by direct popular vote by Ukrainian citizens who are 18 years and over. The president is elected for a 5-year term of office, limited to two terms consecutively. Ukraine's electoral law provides for a two-round electoral system to elect
17464-423: The president serves to represent the country and government as a whole, and not any specific branch of government. The president is obliged by the Constitution to prevent any actions of the executive, legislative and judicial branches from taking effect and interfering with the powers of the Constitution. In addition, the president is barred by the Constitution from heading a political party . The president has
17612-439: The president unconstitutional. While in office, the president enjoys the right of immunity . Ukrainian presidents are frequently asked by individual citizens for help in solving their personal problems (sometimes successfully); in 2012, (then) president Yanukovych received about 10,000 to 12,000 letters from people every month. Prior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office
17760-407: The president, they must be suspected of treason to the state or other crimes. A majority in the Verkhovna Rada (226 ayes) must support a procedure of impeachment for it to begin. A temporary investigative commission is established by the parliament for the impeachment investigation . The commission's final conclusions are considered at a parliamentary meeting. To adopt an impeachment resolution,
17908-422: The president; a candidate must win an absolute majority of all votes cast. If no candidate obtains an absolute majority in the first round of voting then the two highest polling candidates contest a run-off second ballot. According to Chapter V, Article 103 of the Constitution, to be elected president a candidate must be a Ukrainian citizen who has attained the age of 35, has the right to vote, and has resided in
18056-532: The presidential appointee Minister of Foreign Affairs, 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. On 20 January 2020, Prystaiko followed up by giving
18204-416: The presidential authority until the third president-in-exile Mykola Livytskyi (son of the first president-in-exile) was sworn into office. Livytskyi served from 1967 until his death in December 1989. Mykola Plaviuk was the last president-in-exile (and the fourth), serving from December 1989 until his resignation on 22 August 1992 when he ceremonially gave in his presidential authority and state symbols to
18352-473: The presidential election after a viral video showed him ranting against the government corruption in Ukraine . The comedy series Svaty ("In-laws"), in which Zelenskyy appeared, was banned in Ukraine in 2017, but unbanned in March 2019. Zelenskyy worked mostly in Russian-language productions. His first role in the Ukrainian language was the romantic comedy I, You, He, She , which appeared on
18500-506: The previous year, posted on the social media network Twitter that Time editors had told him he would "probably" be named Person of the Year for a second time, conditional on an interview and photo shoot , which he had refused. Time denied that they had made any such promises or conditions to Trump, who was named a runner-up. Journalists who faced persecution, arrest or murder for their reporting. Those highlighted on four different covers were: [REDACTED] Every year, in addition to
18648-449: The public register would be both dangerous, as it concentrated power in the president; and ineffective, since oligarchs were merely a "symbol" of more deeply-rooted corruption. The bill was passed into law in September 2021. Critics of Zelenskyy's administration have claimed that, in taking power away from the Ukrainian oligarchs, he has sought to centralize authority and strengthen his position. Zelenskyy appointed Andriy Bohdan as head of
18796-499: The readers to vote for who they believe to be the Person of the Year . While many mistakenly believe the winner of the poll to be the Person of the Year , the title, as mentioned above, is decided by the editors of Time . Time continues to annually run an online poll for the "People's Choice", but stresses the decision on whom the magazine recognizes is not made by the poll, but by the magazine's editors. An online reader's choice poll
18944-474: The referendum law had been one of Zelenskyy's campaign promises. In June 2021, Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill creating a public registry of Ukraine's oligarchs, banning them from participating in privatizations of state-owned companies and forbidding them from contributing financially to politicians. Opposition party leaders supported Zelenskyy's goal of reducing oligarchs' influence on politics in Ukraine but were critical of his approach, saying
19092-411: The same day. In March 2020, Honchurak resigned as prime minister following the leak of an audio recording in which he appeared to belittle Zelenskyy's economic management. Honchurak was replaced as prime minister Denys Shmyhal . Honchurak's hasty departure caused disquiet both in Ukraine and abroad, with many economists and political observers warning it would bring instability. In his 4 March address to
19240-530: The screens of Ukraine in December 2018. The first version of the script was written in Ukrainian but was translated into Russian for the Lithuanian actress Agnė Grudytė . Later, the movie was dubbed into Ukrainian. In October 2021, the Pandora Papers revealed that Zelenskyy, his chief aide, and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine Ivan Bakanov operated a network of offshore companies in
19388-529: The separatists had long driven most pro-Ukrainian residents out of the region to ensure a pro-Russia majority, and that it would be impossible to ensure Russia kept its end of the agreement. Zelenskyy defended his negotiations, saying the elections would not be held before a Russian withdrawal. The agreement failed to ease the conflict, as the separatists continued their attacks and Russia continued providing them with weapons and ammunition. Several Ukrainian nationalist militias and former militias also refused to accept
19536-430: The sixth President of Ukraine, scoring a record 73.22% of the popular vote in the run-off against incumbent Poroshenko. Due to martial law in the country as a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , elections in the country have been suspended, and the next election originally scheduled for 2024 has been postponed. The Government of Ukraine is based on a semi-presidential system . The president of Ukraine
19684-639: The telephone. European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk also issued a joint letter of congratulations and stated that the European Union (EU) will work to speed up the implementation of the remainder of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement , including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area . Zelenskyy was inaugurated on 20 May 2019. Various foreign officials attended
19832-402: The title on the magazine remained "Man of the Year" for both the 1956 "Hungarian Freedom Fighter" and the 1966 "Twenty-five and Under" editions which both featured a woman standing behind a man, and "Men of the Year" on the 1960 "U.S. Scientists" edition which exclusively featured men on its cover. It was not until the 1969 edition on "The Middle Americans" that the title embraced "Man and Woman of
19980-497: The title three times, first as president-elect (1932) and later as the incumbent president (1934 and 1941). All countries' heads of state or government to have been chosen as Man, Woman, or Person of the Year (arranged in chronological order by country name, from the most frequently selected) are: Winston Churchill was chosen a second time for the special "Man of the Half-Century" edition in 1949 while serving as Leader of
20128-424: The use of the state budget. The president may address the nation and the Verkhovna Rada with their annual and special addresses on domestic and foreign issues of Ukraine. They may also call for the conduction of national referendums. The president appoints the heads of local state administrations nominated by the Prime Minister for the period of their presidency. The president represents the country and government as
20276-473: The voice of Paddington Bear in the Ukrainian dubbing of Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017). Zelenskyy was a member of the board and the general producer of the TV channel Inter from 2010 to 2012. Later in 2018, Zelenskyy said that then-President Yanukovych had offered him US$ 100 million for political control of Kvartal 95's programmes after he became general producer of Inter, but Zelenskyy refused. In August 2014, Zelenskyy spoke out against
20424-419: The vote; Yulia Tymoshenko was the runner up with around 13 percent. Poroshenko was sworn in as president on 7 June 2014. On 18 June 2015 Yanukovych was officially deprived of the title of President of Ukraine. The 2019 election took place on 31 March, with a run-off on 21 April. As a result of this election, Volodymyr Zelenskyy , a former actor and comedian with no prior political experience, became
20572-634: The war. Before starting elementary school, Zelenskyy lived for four years in the Mongolian city of Erdenet , where his father worked as a mining engineer from the mid-1970s to help build a copper mine, applying his abilities in computer science to mining. Zelenskyy grew up speaking Russian. At the age of 16 he passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language and received an education grant to study in Israel, but his father did not allow him to go. He later earned
20720-489: The will of the people as the President of Ukraine, assuming this high office, do solemnly swear allegiance to Ukraine. I pledge with all my undertakings to protect the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, to provide for the good of the Motherland and the welfare of the Ukrainian people, to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, to abide by the Constitution of Ukraine and the laws of Ukraine, to exercise my duties in
20868-466: Was elected Ukraine's first president on 1 December 1991. He was elected by a record number of voters with over 19.5 million who wanted him to remain as the leader of the state. That number has not been beaten yet. His major opponents were the leader of Rukh Vyacheslav Chornovil and the author of the Declaration of Independence. President Kravchuk remained in office until he resigned as part of
21016-503: Was established on 5 July 1991 by the Verkhovna Rada of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic , which formed the office of "president of the Ukrainian SSR" ( Ukrainian : Президент Української РСР ). During the transitional period until the presidential elections , the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada (then held by Leonid Kravchuk) was empowered with a presidential authority. With the proclamation of Ukrainian independence from
21164-483: Was immensely popular. A political party with the same name as the TV show was created in March 2018 by employees of Kvartal 95. Zelenskyy announced his candidacy in the 2019 presidential election on the evening of 31 December 2018, alongside the New Year's Eve address of then-president Petro Poroshenko on the TV channel 1+1 . A political outsider, he had already become one of the frontrunners in opinion polls for
21312-469: Was named Man of the Half-Century, and the last issue of 1989 named Mikhail Gorbachev as "Man of the Decade". The December 31, 1999 issue of Time named Albert Einstein the " Person of the Century ". Both Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi were chosen as runners-up. Aside from Einstein, the December 31 edition also named Persons of the Century for every century of the 2nd millennium : William
21460-497: Was not a populist ; however, other scholars have analysed Zelenskyy's politics in the framework of populism. For instance, political scientist Volodymyr Kulyk described Zelenskyy as practising "inclusionary" populism that claims to defend "the people" against "the elite" while defining "the people" in a way inclusive of all ethnic, linguistic, religious, and other groups. Scholar Kostiantyn Yanchenko described Zelenskyy's campaign as characterised by "populist hyperreality " constructed by
21608-612: Was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi . At first, the de facto leader of the nation was the president of the Central Rada in the early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic , while the highest governing body was the General Secretariat headed by its chairperson. With the proclamation of the last universal of the UPR dated 25 January 1918 due to military aggression, the Central Rada of
21756-500: Was still in the U.S., just after delivering a speech at the United Nations, an assassination attempt was made in Ukraine on Shefir, his closest aide. Shefir was unhurt in the attack, although his driver was hospitalized with three bullet wounds. President of Ukraine The president of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Президент України , romanized: Prezydent Ukrainy , pronounced [prezeˈdɛnt ʊkrɐˈjine] )
21904-415: Was widespread speculation that he was planning to run. As early as October 2018, three months before his campaign announcement and six months before the presidential election, he was already a frontrunner in opinion polls. After months of ambiguous statements, on 31 December, less than four months from the election, Zelenskyy announced his candidacy for president of Ukraine on the New Year's Eve evening show on
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