Being Volodymyr Zelenskiy: How war has changed Ukraine's leader

This is the relentless world of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's wartime president.

The 46-year-old former stand-up comic had once aspired to transform Ukraine into a modern democracy when he was elected in 2019. But that mission was shattered by Russia's invasion in 2022.

   

"All I wanted five years ago was a very liberal country with a liberal economy," Zelenskyy told Reuters in an interview in May, on the fifth anniversary of his inauguration.

However, the war has hardened the once-political novice into a resolute leader, exhorting Western allies to take more decisive action. Gone is the clean-shaven, boyish president sworn in wearing a stylish suit. In his place is a much older-looking, heavier-set figure, typically clad in paramilitary fatigues with unshaven stubble and dark circles under his eyes.

    

As Zelenskyy grapples with round-the-clock stress and fatigue, his former defense minister Oleksii Reznikov paints a vivid picture of the president's daily life - "a sleep-deprived regime" where Zelenskyy is constantly on the move, with a "grab bag" containing a change of clothes and a toothbrush, never knowing where he will spend the night.

    

"He's in stress mode 24 hours a day, seven days a week - it's a never-ending marathon," Reznikov said.

This is the wartime reality for Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a leader who has become tougher and more decisive, less tolerant of mistakes, and even prone to paranoia, as he steers Ukraine through the relentless Russian invasion.

According to a member of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team, who requested anonymity, Zelenskyy will order officials and advisers out of the room if he feels they are not fully prepared. The team member recounted how the president dismissed his aides in frustration during a meeting earlier this year to plan the information campaign surrounding the mobilization drive.

    

"If he sees people aren't prepared or are contradicting each other, he'll say, 'Get out of here. I don't have time for this,'" the team member said.

Many of the people interviewed spoke of being impressed by Zelenskyy's mental endurance and his ability to cope with his roles as Ukraine's president, wartime commander-in-chief, and bridge to the world.

    

Former Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who was dismissed by Zelenskyy in September 2023 after corruption scandals at his ministry that he denied any connection with, dismissed any suggestion that a former TV comedian with scant geopolitical experience could take on the might of Russian President Vladimir Putin's forces, which overwhelmingly outnumber and outgun Ukraine's.

 

"I would apply Mark Twain's quote to President Zelenskyy," Reznikov added. "'It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog.'"

At the same time, Zelenskyy has grown increasingly "paranoid" about suspected Russian attempts to assassinate him and destabilize Ukraine's leadership, according to a senior European official who has held talks with the leader.

"And rightly so," the official added.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Grave Appeals to the NATO Summit Present a Stark Contrast to His Former Comedic Persona

   

In the years before his rise to the Ukrainian presidency, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was known for his irreverent comedy sketches that delighted audiences. One YouTube clip from 2016 shows the future leader standing behind a piano with his trousers around his ankles, "playing" tunes despite his hands being nowhere near the keyboard, to the delight of the crowd.

   

"Of course, he's changed over the past five years," said Andriy Shaykan, who studied with Zelenskyy at the Kryvyi Rih Economic Institute between 1995 and 2000. "He's become older, as a person upon whom an incredible burden is placed. He sleeps for a few hours a night. That huge pressure - it shows."

   

Zelenskyy grew up in the 1990s in Kryvyi Rih, a steelmaking city in central Ukraine that was consumed by economic turmoil and rampant crime after the breakup of the Soviet Union. He found his niche in entertainment, building a hit comedy troupe - named Kvartal 95 after his home district - which won the KVN Russian TV talent show popular across the former Soviet region.

   

In 2015, Zelenskyy starred in a new TV sitcom "Servant of the People", playing an honest school teacher who becomes Ukrainian president after a classroom rant about corruption goes viral online. The role struck a chord with Ukrainians fed up with post-Soviet graft and, in an extraordinary case of life-mimicking art, helped catapult him into the president's office in a landslide vote.

   

Artem Gagarin, a writer for Kvartal 95, admits he was baffled when his former boss decided to run for office. "He was Ukraine's top comic, basically the top show-businessman. Why did he need this?" Five years on, he says he is grateful that Zelenskyy chose the path he did, as he has proved himself a natural leader. "Otherwise, where would we be now?"

   

Today, Zelenskyy's grave appeals to the NATO summit this week present a stark counterpoint to the comedic persona he once embodied. The weight of leading his country through an ongoing war has aged and transformed him, but his unwavering dedication to Ukraine's defense continues to inspire his people and the world.

   

It seems Zelenskiy's public approval in Ukraine has experienced some fluctuations since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022. While his approval initially surged to around 90% as Ukrainians rallied behind their leader, it has since been impacted by factors like war fatigue, an unpopular conscription drive, leadership changes, and the grim military outlook as Russia advances in the east.

   

According to the information provided:

• Zelenskiy's public approval rating has stabilized around 60%, which is still considered high given the difficult circumstances of the prolonged war.
• He is now seen more as a military leader rather than the anti-establishment politician and former comedian he was initially perceived as.
• There are some concerns among ordinary Ukrainians about the concentration of power in Zelenskiy's team and their exclusion from key decision-making processes.
• However, U.S. Representative Michael McCaul, who has met Zelenskiy several times, believes he has grown into the role of an inspiring wartime leader, citing Zelenskiy's refusal to be evacuated at the start of the war.

Overall, it seems Zelenskiy's public standing has evolved during the conflict, with both positives and negatives in terms of his leadership and popularity within Ukraine. The prolonged nature of the war appears to be a significant factor in shaping public perception of him.

   

Despite having supporters like U.S. Representative Michael McCaul and U.S. President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has struggled to maintain global attention for Ukraine's plight since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October 2022. Zelenskyy's persistent appeals for more Western aid often convey a sense of moral indignation, emphasizing that Ukraine is paying in blood to defend the democratic world from Russia.

   

According to a senior European official, Zelenskyy "repeats 15 times what he needs, that we need to do more or face the consequences, and he doesn't let it go." A second European official noted that Zelenskyy has become increasingly frustrated with Western nations and advised him to "tread carefully" to avoid alienating much-needed allies.

   

At meetings and phone calls with foreign officials, Zelenskyy relentlessly pushes his cause, hammering home the same message. However, since a summit in Switzerland aimed at garnering international support and isolating Russia, Zelenskyy has subtly shifted his emphasis, underscoring the urgent need for a fair resolution to the war and discussing the possibility of a second summit later this year that could include a representative from Moscow.

   

"We don't want to drag out this war and we must reach a just peace as soon as possible," Zelenskyy said in Kyiv after talks with Slovenia's president on June 28. While trying to ramp up pressure on NATO on his way to its Vilnius summit last year, Zelensky lashed out at the military alliance, saying it was "absurd" that it failed to provide Kyiv with a clear timetable for joining.

   

In Washington this week, with that goal still unmet, the Ukrainian leadership adopted a less abrasive approach, with Zelenskyy's chief of staff expressing satisfaction with the outcome. When asked to assess his performance as the leader of Ukraine during exceptional circumstances, Zelenskyy said, "I cannot assess my activity, I think it is not very ethical. I am proud that I am the president of Ukraine – this is my attitude to all these five years."