President Joe Biden is being briefed "regularly" on the situation in Ukraine by his national security team at the White House this weekend, press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. [32][25] 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. After starting at Domino's Pizza in 1992 in Montreal, Canada as a part-time job, he decided to take on the challenge of being a store manager for one of Montreal's original four shops. This was decided by the passport service of Ukraine. [268], In response to suggestions to the contrary, he stated in April 2019 that he regarded Russian president Vladimir Putin "as an enemy". In 2016, she participated in the show The Comedy Comet Company Comedy's Kids and won 50,000. So Is Its Prime Minister. [74], Zelenskyy clearly won the first round of elections on 31 March 2019. MUNICH (AP) Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday heralded NATO unity during the escalating Ukraine crisis and warned Russia that the U.S. and Western allies stood ready to respond with tough sanctions if President Vladimir Putin moves forward with an invasion of Ukraine. "There are emails and photographs that show that President Biden, while he was vice president, met several of Hunter Biden's business associates, including a Burisma executive that's the. Detractors noted that elections held in Donbas were unlikely to be free and fair, that the separatists had long driven out 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. [74] According to Zelenskyy, if people would notice that his new government "works honestly from the first day", they would start paying their taxes. [145], In August 2019, Zelenskyy promised to lift the moratorium on exhuming Polish mass graves in Ukraine after the previous Ukrainian government banned 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. whitehouse.gov. It's a great, pleasure to be once more here in Kyiv to reaffirm the depth of the partnership between our two peoples. [156], In April 2021, in response to Russian military build-up at the Ukrainian borders, Zelenskyy spoke to American president Joe Biden and urged NATO members to speed up Ukraine's request for membership. Trump called Zelensky on July 25 to congratulate the new president of Ukraine on his election. A political party bearing the same name as the television show was created in March 2018 by employees of Kvartal 95. I would very much like to answer this question. 17 February 2023. [119] Honchurak's hasty departure caused disquiet both in Ukraine and abroad, with many economists and political observers warning it would bring instability. [170][171], On the morning of 24 February, Putin announced that Russia was initiating a "special military operation" in the Donbas. Russian missiles struck a number of military targets in Ukraine, and Zelenskyy declared martial law. Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak is convinced that by their heroic struggle against Russian aggression, Ukrainians have reminded the world of the true values of democracy and freedom, which always prevail. Despite this, Zelenskyy highlighted that the day would "honor heroes" on Independence Day, however the "format will be new". [252][253] Zelenskyy's close advisor Ivan Bakanov also said that Zelenskyy's policy is supportive of membership of both the EU and NATO, and proposes holding referendums on membership. [113], In the 21 July 2019 parliamentary election, Zelenskyy's political party, Servant of the People, won the first single-party majority in modern Ukrainian history in parliament, with 43 per cent of the party-list vote. The Vice President has departed for Kyiv, Ukraine, where he will meet with President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Ukrainian reformers from both government and civil society, and deliver a speech to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Ukraine needs real reforms. President Trump and his allies have been trying to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden for his role in what Rudy Giuliani called a "massive bribery scheme.". [33] He later earned 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. During the first two years of his administration, Zelenskyy oversaw the lifting of legal immunity for members of parliament (the Verkhovna Rada),[5] the country's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic recession, and some limited progress in tackling corruption in Ukraine. [268] In the interview he also said that if he were elected president he would not sign a law on amnesty for the militants of the DPR and LPR. It's been a rough first year as vice president for Kamala Harris. The only candidate who finished near the former president, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, finished with only 20 percent of the . [255] The programme also states that Zelenskyy "will do everything to ensure" that Ukraine can apply for European Union membership in 2024. [261], Zelenskyy supported the late 2013 and early 2014 Euromaidan movement. [172] Zelenskyy also announced that diplomatic relations with Russia were being severed, effective immediately. WASHINGTON Two Russian billionaires who have managed to dodge US sanctions over Moscow's year-old invasion of Ukraine went property shopping with Hunter Biden, dined with then-Vice . [227][228] As Zelenskyy ordered a general military mobilization in February 2022, he also banned men aged 18 to 60 from leaving Ukraine. "[123], One of Zelenskyy's central campaign promises had been to end the Russo-Ukrainian War and resolve the Russia-sponsored separatist movement there. On 20 May, 2019 sworn in as the 6 th President of Ukraine. [86], On 28 May, Zelenskyy restored the Ukrainian citizenship of Mikheil Saakashvili. In the early hours of 24 February, shortly before the start of the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy recorded an address to the citizens of both Ukraine and Russia. The series aired from 2015 to 2019 and was immensely popular. WASHINGTON An election-year investigation by Senate Republicans into corruption allegations against Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son, Hunter, involving Ukraine found no evidence of improper . [146], In September 2019, it was reported that U.S. president Donald Trump had allegedly blocked payment of a congressionally mandated $400 million military aid package to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy during a July phone call between the two presidents to investigate alleged wrongdoing by Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden,[69][147] who took a board seat on Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings. [256] Two days before the second round, Zelenskyy stated that he wanted to build "a strong, powerful, free Ukraine, which is not the younger sister of Russia, which is not a corrupt partner of Europe, but our independent Ukraine". ", "Leaders of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia to visit Kyiv on Tuesday", "A Zelensky Deepfake Was Quickly Defeated. With regards to same-sex marriage, Zelenskyy cited a provision in the Constitution of Ukraine barring same-sex marriage, as well as a ban on wartime changes to the Constitution, ruling out an introduction of same-sex marriages during the ongoing war. . [122], On 24 March 2021, Zelenskyy signed the Decree 117/2021 approving the "strategy for de-occupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. A collection of sixteen of Zelenskyy's speeches as president have been collected in a book. They must know the truth. [224] Zelenskyy has also supported consolidating all TV news stations into a single 24-hour news broadcast run by the state of Ukraine. Thank you for the principled defense and political support, for the clear understanding that the aggressor cannot be given a single chance. [124] The deal was met with heavy criticism and protests by both politicians and the Ukrainian public. [54] His announcement up-staged the New Year's Eve address of incumbent president Petro Poroshenko on the same channel,[54] which Zelenskyy said was unintentional and attributed to a technical glitch. We don't have any firearms. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the president of the Ukraine. [82], Zelenskyy was inaugurated on 20 May 2019. 1997-2003 - Actor, performer, script writer, producer of the stand-up . He was sworn in on January 20, 2021. [129] Several Ukrainian nationalist militias and former militias also refused to accept the agreement, including the far-right Azov fighters in the Luhansk region of Donbas. [270], Zelenskyy opposes the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany, calling it "a dangerous weapon, not only for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe. "[117], Zelenskyy dismissed Bohdan as head of his presidential administration on 11 February 2020 and appointed Andriy Yermak as his successor the same day. Their son, Kyrylo, was born in January 2013. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presents the Order of Princess Olga, a Ukrainian civil decoration, to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a . [53][51] After months of ambiguous statements,[52][51] 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 the TV channel 1+1. [14][15][16][17], Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy was born to Jewish parents on 25 January 1978 in Kryvyi Rih, then in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. 11:58 A.M. (Local) THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. By AAMER MADHANI and MATTHEW LEE February 18, 2022. [282][283] Kiyashko worked as a scriptwriter at Kvartal 95. I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the president's motives are. Symbolic moment today in Munich as Ukraine's President Zelenskyy stood side by side with Vice President Harris just days ahead of what the U.S. says is a planned Russian attack on Ukraine. The President won't be offended if BBC standards assume different transliteration", Zelensky Unchained: What Ukraine's New Political Order Means For Its Future, "Ukraine Lifts Prosecutorial Immunity For Members Of Parliament", "Ukraine's anti-corruption effort struggles, but soldiers on", Faltering fightback: Zelensky's piecemeal campaign against Ukraine's oligarchs, "FT Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. March 12, 2022 After war began last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine turned to Mykhailo Fedorov, a vice prime minister, for a key role. ", " . Opposition party leaders supported Zelenskyy's goal of reducing oligarchs' influence on politics in Ukraine but were critical of his approach, saying 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. He has positioned himself as an anti-establishment and anti-corruption figure. [74] 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". [232] However, he later said he did not believe that all the land seized by Russia since 2014, which includes Crimea, could be recaptured by force, saying that "If we decide to go that way, we will lose hundreds of thousands of people. The first appears when there are video cameras, the other Petro sends Medvedchuk privietiki (greetings) to Moscow". Zelenskyy met personally with some of these groups and tried to convince them to surrender their unregistered weapons and accept the peace accord. [249] Zelenskyy's election manifesto mentioned tariffs only oncethat money raised from a capital amnesty would go towards "lowering the tariff burden on low-income citizens". CPAC Straw Poll: Trump Wins in Blow Out - Donald Trump dominated the 2023 CPAC Straw Poll. He said this on the air of the American TV channel Fox News. [83] Various foreign officials attended the ceremony in Ukraine's parliament (Verkhovna Rada), including Salome Zourabichvili (Georgia), Kersti Kaljulaid (Estonia), Raimonds Vjonis (Latvia), Dalia Grybauskait (Lithuania), Jnos der (Hungary), Maro efovi (European Union), and Rick Perry (United States). By Jennifer Hassan. United States government official. [130][131] Ultimately, the peace deal failed to reduce the violence, much less end the war. [182], Zelenskyy has gained worldwide recognition as the wartime leader of Ukraine during the Russian invasion; historian Andrew Roberts compared him to Winston Churchill. [84] Zelenskyy is the first Jewish president; with Volodymyr Groysman as prime minister, Ukraine became the first country other than Israel to simultaneously have a Jewish head of state and head of government. [42][43][c] Once again, Zelenskyy spoke out against the intention of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to ban Russian artists from Ukraine.[39]. In a story you'll see only on ABC7 News, Bay Area native and Vice President Kamala Harris discusses Asian-owned businesses, reflected on her past two years in office as the nation's first female . [79] On 22 April, U.S. president Donald Trump congratulated Zelenskyy on his victory over the telephone. [6][7][8], 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. Since 2015, Ukraine has banned Russian artists and other Russian works of culture from entering Ukraine. We were mistaken. [200], On 15 March 2022, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, together with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jana, visited Kyiv to meet with Zelenskyy in a display of support for Ukraine. "I wish Putin was president of America . [39] Since 2015, Ukraine has banned Russian artists and other Russian works of culture from entering Ukraine. ", "Ukraine adopts new and improved referendum law", "Ukraine's referendum law passed during Yanukovych's presidency designated as unconstitutional", "Zelenskyy speeds up corruption crackdown, one oligarch at a time", "Ukrainian lawmakers pass law on oligarchs after assassination attempt", "Ukraine: why Volodymyr Zelensky is pursuing a disruptive agenda", " . While Denys Shmyhal, the prime minister of Ukraine, would likely be considered the next most senior official, Ruslan Stefanchuk, the. [234] On 25 May 2022, Zelenskyy said that he was satisfied with China's policy of staying away from the conflict. The United States announced they would supply Patriot missiles to Ukraine as had been requested. [142][143] On 20 January 2020, Prystaiko followed up by giving a briefing to the press in the Office of the president of Ukraine and saying that he would explain everything about the visit that when the time came. "[233], On 3 May 2022, Zelenskyy accused Turkey of having "double standards" by welcoming Russian tourists while attempting to act as an intermediary between Russia and Ukraine in order to end the war. He disputed claims of the Russian government about the presence of neo-Nazis in the Ukrainian government and stated that he had no intention of attacking the Donbas region, while highlighting his personal connections to the area. With inputs from agencies. "[236], On 30 May 2022, Zelenskyy criticized EU leaders for being too soft on Russia and asked, "Why can Russia still earn almost a billion euros a day by selling energy? Regular, normal people. "[159][160] In December 2021, Zelenskyy called for preemptive action against Russia. [291], Ausichicrinites zelenskyyi, an extinct species of feather star described on 20 July 2022 by a group of Polish paleontologists, is named after Zelenskyy "for his courage and bravery in defending free Ukraine".[304][305]. (Laughter.) [239] On 20 July 2022, South America's Mercosur trade bloc refused Zelenskyy's request to speak at the trade bloc's summit in Paraguay. May 1, 2022 at 10:04 a.m. EDT. A Ukrainian lawmaker who met with Rudolph W. Giuliani late last year released recordings of private phone calls several years ago between Vice President Joe Biden and Petro Poroshenko, then . Then-Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, right, and US Vice President Joe Biden, left, shake hands during a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 16, 2017. The cabinet is a collegiate body consisting of the cabinet's "presidium" composed of the Prime Minister of Ukraine and their vice prime ministers as well as other ministers who participate and vote on sessions of the cabinet. [118], 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. Please not that all time are approximate and are subject to change. [31], Before starting elementary school, Zelenskyy lived for four years in the Mongolian city of Erdenet, where his father worked. [280], On 2 December 2022, Zelenskyy entered a bill to the Verkhovna Rada that would officially ban all activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) UOC in Ukraine. [64][59] During the campaign, concerns were raised over his links to the oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi,[65] a billionaire businessman who had gained control of the 1+1 Media Group in 2010. The speech was widely described as "emotional" and "astonishing". In remarks to reporters in Houston, Trump described his conversation with the Ukrainian. During the war in Donbas, he actively supported the Ukrainian army. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and French President Emmanuel Macron during the Munich Security Conference . I am sure there are. During her trip to Warsaw, Poland, today, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced nearly $53 million in new humanitarian assistance from the United States government, through the U.S. Agency . According to Zelenskyy, since the beginning of the invasion, Chinese President Xi Jinping had refused to speak with him. He made the comment after he was asked about an online petition calling to lift a prohibition on Ukrainian men leaving Ukraine. On 7 March 2022, Czech president Milo Zeman decided to award Zelenskyy with the highest state award of the Czech Republic, the Order of the White Lion, for "his bravery and courage in the face of Russia's invasion". Eduard Heger, the Slovak prime minister, compared the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. The group operates eight Ukrainian TV channels and broadcast the Servant of the People TV series from 2015 until 2019, featuring Zelenskyy in a comedian role as a national president. [114], Following the elections, Zelenskyy nominated Oleksiy Honcharuk as prime minister, who was quickly confirmed by parliament. . "[149], On a trip to the United States in September 2021, Zelenskyy engaged in talks and commitments with U.S. president Joe Biden,[150] Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm,[151] and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. [78] French president Emmanuel Macron received Zelenskyy at the lyse Palace in Paris on 12 April 2019. 1 min ago. ", "Zelenskyy Again Asking Rada To Dismiss Lutsenko And Klimkin, Appoint Prystaiko As Foreign Affairs Minister", "Zelensky appoints his first governors in Lviv, Donetsk, Zakarpattia oblasts", "Volodymyr Zelensky clears the old elite out of parliament", "Oleksiy Honcharuk named prime minister, Cabinet approved", "Ukrainian Parliament Accepts Resignation Of Influential Interior Minister", " ' , : " ", "Zelensky dismisses head of president's office Bohdan, appoints Yermak instead", "Ukrainian president removes PM in government reshuffle", "Hasty government reshuffle sows disquiet at home, abroad", "Speech by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an extraordinary session of the Verkhovna Rada", "Zelensky's approval rating slides to 31% poll", "Zelensky enacts strategy for de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea", "Ukraine conflict: Anger as Zelensky agrees vote deal in east", " ", "Telephone conversation with President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky", "Putin and Zelensky hold first discussion with talks on conflict, prisoner swap", "Thousands protest Ukraine leader's peace plan", "The basis for a peaceful resolution of the war in eastern Ukraine trends at the end of 2019", "Far-right groups protest Ukrainian president's peace plan", "Ukraine tensions: what is the Normandy format and has it achieved anything? ( )", "Zelensky's childhood friend appointed SBU's first deputy chief (Document)", " ", " . [148] This report was the catalyst for the TrumpUkraine scandal and the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump. [34], In August 2014, Zelenskyy spoke out against the intention of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture to ban Russian artists from Ukraine. The government of Ukraine understands and is conscious that the money is given only to those countries that actually overcome and fight corruption. [242], On 25 September 2022, Zelenskyy said that Putins threats to use nuclear weapons "could be a reality." [240], Speaking about the 2022 Russian mobilization, Zelenskyy called on Russians to not submit to "criminal mobilization", saying: "Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians they just need to replenish the empty spaces left" by killed and wounded Russian soldiers. [138] On 14 January 2020, Andriy Yermak dismissed the rumors as speculations and baseless conspiracy theories,[139] while Medvedchuk stated that the plane was used by his older daughter's family to fly from Oman to Moscow. 0 views, 0 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Talk 99.5: Fox News' Tucker Carlson asks what Attorney General Merrick Garland is doing in Ukraine, and wonders why no one. [265], In an interview in December 2018, Zelenskyy stated that as president he would try to end the ongoing war in Donbas by negotiating with Russia. February 25, 2022, 11:05am. Homeownership is an essential part of the American dream. His leadership during the crisis has won him widespread international praise, and he has been described as a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance. Olena Zelenska presented the Ukrainian Bookshelf and Ukrainian-language audio guides in Albania and Ireland 27 February 2023 - 15:24 First Lady of Ukraine had a meeting with the Minister of Culture of France 23 February 2023 - 23:00 Olena Zelenska: Ukraine is not just fighting the attacker - Ukraine is fighting for human rights [203], Zelenskyy has made an effort to rally the governments of Western nations in an effort to isolate Russia. 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 personal position. [231] On 25 May 2022, he said that Ukraine would not agree to peace until Russia agreed to return Crimea and the Donbas region to Ukraine. How Zelensky prepares for the election", "Could a rock star become Ukraine's next president? [262], In a 2014 interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda in Ukraine, Zelenskyy said that he would have liked to pay a visit to Crimea, but would avoid it because "armed people are there". [284] The couple's first daughter, Oleksandra, was born in July 2004. The EU will be with you and your people tomorrow and for as long as it takes. His party gained 254 of the 424 seats. [273], Although Zelenskyy prefers elections with open list election ballots, after he called the snap 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election his draft law "On amendments to some laws of Ukraine in connection with the change of the electoral system for the election of people's deputies" proposed to hold the election with closed list because the 60-day term to the snap election did not "leave any chances for the introduction of this system". The claim: Joe Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion from Ukraine to assist his son, Hunter Biden While former Vice President Joe Biden oversaw foreign policy in Ukraine, his son Hunter. [98], In January 2020, Zelenskyy took a trip to Oman that was not published on his official schedule, appearing to combine a personal holiday with government business. [101], 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. [175] In an early morning address that day, Zelenskyy said that his intelligence services had identified him as Russia's top target, but that he is staying in Kyiv and his family will remain in the country. [190] While speaking about Ukrainian civilians who were killed by Russian forces, Zelenskyy said:[191]. Just like the authorities in Ukraine, no matter how much they try to convince you otherwise. His office said Zelenskyy paid for the entire trip himself. [106] 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). January 25, 1978 - Born in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. [60][61] He styled himself as an anti-establishment, anti-corruption figure, although he was not generally described as a populist. Feb 22. [243] He also said that Putin is aware that the "world will never forgive" a Russian nuclear strike. Vitaliy. [201] On 16 March 2022, a deepfake appeared online of Zelenskyy calling on Ukrainian citizens to surrender to Russia. [133] 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 per cent compared to the previous year. He then pursued a career in comedy and 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 the role of the Ukrainian president. [93][94][95] He also proposed to spend the money that would have been used to finance the parade on veterans. "Zelensky" redirects here. "[258], In February 2022, he applied for Ukraine to join the European Union. [134], On 8 January 2020, the Presidential Office announced that Volodymyr Zelenskyy was cutting his trip to Oman short owing to the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 plane crash in nearby Iran the same day.