JTA Four years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor on the humorous Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People," starring as an unlikely president of the Eastern European country. He later batted down an evacuation offer from the United States. but ultimately became a successful comedian, joining a popular comedy group that performed across the former Soviet Union. Fact check: False claim Ottawa '15-minute' neighborhoods plan will A fleece jacket worn and signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sold for 90,000, or around $111,000, at a fundraiser for Ukraine in London on Thursday. . It's also about three times. So, in a way, who. Despite early signs of progress, the newly elected President delivered no real reforms, and failed to handle relations with local leaders amid the global coronavirus pandemic. His harshest critics claimed that Mr. Zelensky, a Russian-speaking man born in eastern Ukraine, would all but sell the country off to Russia. Ukraine president's ratings fall as crisis with Russia brews. Biden approval rating rises slightly in wake of State of the Union 18 things to know about Volodymyr Zelensky - The Jerusalem Post An interpreter translating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. And yet, he says, everyone realizes that Russia wants to take advantage of Zelenskyy's lower approval ratings right now to weaken him with this threat of an invasion. Zelenskys ambitions appear to be colliding with his populist rhetoric, while his willingness to succumb to pressure from oligarchs is gradually losing him the trust of Ukrainians and the West. KELLY: So we keep talking about Zelenskyy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky poses for selfies with voters. Several results stand out. Our weekly culture newsletter from books and art to pop culture and memes sent every Friday. I buckle up and prepare to skate, something I have not done in quite a while. The television star-turned-wartime president has used social media to boost his country's morale and won standing ovations at virtual addresses to governments around the world. Russia, of course, has been waging a war in eastern Ukraine since 2014. The Power of Values: An Interview With an Obama Foreign Policy Speechwriter, Opinion: A Review of Bill Haytons latest book, Invention of China. Opinion: President Zelensky is a profile in courage | CNN We keep circling the rink until we come across Max Vasylchuk (ph). Instead, he studied law. 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Zelensky's approval ratings are continuing to rise. . Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. [Graph], International Republican Institute, August 11, 2022. BBC News Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who had no experience of politics when elected less than three years ago, has suddenly emerged as a convincing war leader. Zelensky, an entertainer-turned-politician, saw his approval ratings steadily decline since his election in 2019, continuing a string of displeasure with leadership within Ukraine over issues like . Notably, Servant of the People won only in two major cities and lost in the Presidents hometown. In June 2022, over 90 percent of the Ukrainian population approved of the activities of Volodymyr Zelensky as the president of the country. We are in Kyiv. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 1 target, he said in a video message, and his family is the No. The security service is overseen by a childhood friend, a former corporate lawyer, and the presidents party in Parliament is run by a loyal former I.T. Driving the news: Zelensky has become a very vocal leader for his country after the latest unprovoked attack by Russia. Zelensky has toed a line between, projecting a strong patriotic front against Russia, and working to delicately stand up to the nationalists. Accuracy and availability may vary. We know he was on that other phone call, the famous one from 2019 with another American president, the former President Trump - the one where Trump asked, I would like you to do us a favor, though. A Jew and a native Russian speaker, Volodymyr Oleksandrovich Zelensky was born on January 25th, 1978. Also see |War zone: Ukraine's US-made Javelin anti-tank missile vs Russian T-72 beasts. What to know about Volodymyr Zelensky, former comedian - CBS News And he had this very successful show on Ukrainian TV, a political sitcom called "Servant Of The People. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has turned around his domestic political fortunes with his leadership over the past few weeks, earning the support of an overwhelming majority of the country . ESTRIN: And he rises to stardom in this show, and he's elected to president because, you know, everyone sees this video. Since the war began, he has been appealing to world leaders for more support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. Zelensky blasts Russian 'terror' after deadly shelling of Kherson The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Weve had political figures who are deeply aligned with the Jewish community and use that as a jumping off point for political power. Quick and essential guide to domestic and global politics from the New Statesman's politics team. He won the Ukrainian equivalent of "Dancing with the Stars" in 2006. ( JTA) Four years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was an actor on the humorous Ukrainian TV show "Servant of the People," starring as an unlikely president of the Eastern European country. I'm now getting lapped by 5-year-olds (laughter). And Mr. Zelensky, a comedian for most of his life, is in over his head. criminalising illegal state official enrichment practices, firing of prosecutor general Ruslan Ryaboshapka, One Chinese size fits all? Of course, if hes martyred and there are certainly reports that there are agents of the Russian regime who would like either to capture or assassinate him I think his Jewishness will certainly be noted, Sarna said. The partys rating has fallen to 28 percent, while 56 percent of the Ukrainian public is dissatisfied with Zelensky, although both still have higher ratings than the opposition. He is visibly irritated by traditional journalists: In. And 70% of the vote - those are not numbers to sniff at. . In the process, Mr. Zelensky has turned into a version of the politician he campaigned against: insular, closed off, surrounded by yes men. Please do not hesitate to contact me. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The party's rating has fallen to 28 percent, while 56 percent of the Ukrainian public is dissatisfied with Zelensky, although both still have higher ratings than the opposition. UNIDENTIFIED INTERPRETER: When he was becoming president, he said, I will stop the war. It does not store any personal data. As Servant of the Peoples majority erodes in the Verkhovnaya Rada and there is a possibility that the opposition will call for new parliamentary elections, Zelenskys position as Ukraines powerbroker will continue to be challenged. There were constant reshuffles. The sentiment is shared nearly equally by Democrats and Republicans, even though Republicans have been much more likely to express confidence in Putin's leadership in recent years. to find a solution to the long-running conflict in the east of the country had only limited success, and last year his approval rating fell . All Rights Reserved. He appointed the head of his own television production studio to be the head of the Ukrainian version of the FBI. The show must go on, of course. Older Americans are much more likely to hold those views than younger generations, as are those with more education (especially postgraduate degrees). The latest. His approval rating is in the low 40s. Poll Shows Zelensky Leading 2024 U.S. Presidential Race He has excelled in the role of warrior-president and won the hearts of the people he was elected to serve. It may have proven too difficult to pull off after winning the 2019 election with over 70% of the vote, his approval rating had plummeted to close to 30%. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky is speaking to Congress on Wednesday. What That prompted some to speculate whether that could include Ukrainian Jews. Thanks to an unprecedented effort from the International Republican Institute to conduct a nationwide poll of Ukraine during a time of war, we now know what its people think about the conflict, their leadership and the future of their country. And the heroic figure at the center of this war is none other than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. So we're going to see if we can find some. Sixty-two percent of Ukrainians dont want him to run for re-election, and if an election were held today, hed garner about 25 percent of the vote down from the 30 percent he easily won in the first round of the 2019 election. There are faint divides along partisan lines, with Democrats and Democrat-leaners slightly more likely than Republicans and Republican-leaners to have confidence in Zelenskyy (80% vs. 67%). Ukraine's Zelenskyy: Comedian to national hero - DW - 02/26/2022 Furthermore, issues of ideological clarity, lack of reform progress and internal fragmentation have seriously damaged Servant of the Peoples political position. Throughout 2020 his approval rating steadily fell. And there are reports that dozens of others in government have connections to his TV company or his family. Profit from the additional features of your individual account. Lviv had its doubts about Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Here's how he won their I clomp over to the rink - kids, parents spinning, circling, wiping out. "Full support and respect . In March 2020, when his chief of staffs brother was caught offering government posts for money, Mr. Zelensky did nothing. Approval ratings of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fall amid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to the U.S. Congress on March 16. She has worked on a diverse set of topics from the prevention of religion-motivated violence in Bangladesh, during the 64th International Student Conference in Tokyo, Japan to bilateral and multilateral relations in South-Eastern Europe during her internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. His ratings had slumped after he arrived in office in mid-2019, and by December 2021 they sat at just 30 . And it has revealed him to be dispiritingly mediocre. (August 11, 2022). 1 target,, Over the course of a few years, Zelensky who is the first-ever Jewish president of, Ukraine, a country with a long and complicated Jewish history. Some 92% of Americans have little or no confidence in the Russian leader's handling of world affairs, while 77% have none at all. Ukraine's Newly Elected President Is Jewish. So Is Its Prime Minister The New Statesmans weekly environment email on the politics, business and culture of the climate and nature crises - in your inbox every Thursday. As the West pursued megaphone diplomacy to discourage an invasion, Mr. Zelensky tried to downplay the threat. . His approval rating, despite starting at a high of 55 percent in January 2021, spent the year in freefall. ", International Republican Institute, Do you approve or disapprove of the actions of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky? Just Like All the Others: The End of the Zelensky Alternative? First round. Pew notes that this is a downturn since the start of his term, when that number was closer to 6 in 10 American adults. We are here. Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 50 countries and over 1 million facts: Get quick analyses with our professional research service. Now, he is. His hastily assembled team quickly fell apart, and yesterdays allies turned into some of his harshest critics. Ukraine's President Is in Over His Head - The New York Times But once. From Chaplin to Churchill: How Volodymyr Zelensky became savior of Ukraine The understanding that social networks are not propaganda tools but a tool for direct communication has given Zelensky a 90% approval rating. Do the public support the nurses strike? 33% of the 72% expressed a lot of confidence in Zelensky. Any decisive move against Russia, on the other hand, risks giving the Kremlin a pretext for a deadly invasion. A weekly round-up of some of the best articles featured in the most recent issue of the New Statesman, sent each Saturday. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. INA KULIG: (Non-English language spoken). A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. He even had this campaign video where he asked people for ideas. And in the show, this video goes viral. In the midst of the nationwide lockdown in Ukraine, Zelensky openly confronted Anatoly Bondarenko, the mayor of Cherkasy, who defied orders and re-opened restaurants and ships in the town. That. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's strategy for dealing with . Do you approve or disapprove of the actions of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky? MAX VASYLCHUK: I mean, in my childhood, I was a hockey player. More than half of Ukrainians still . A former actor used to the sound of applause, Mr. Zelensky is notoriously thin-skinned when it comes to criticism and challenging questions. businessman. Along the way, he married a high school classmate, with whom he has two children, a 17-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son. Ukraine is a democracy. Joe Biden approval: US President at critical juncture as approval During the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election candidate (and latter winner of the election) Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he was running for only one term. The results of such polls are displayed in this article. Zelensky Wins Social Media. Social media is supremely important in Copyright 2022 NPR. Zelensky's brave response has made me reconsider. ESTRIN: He says in this video, who likes it when the president appoints his best man or his friend from the army? And why is, After high school, Zelensky earned a scholarship to study in Israel on the strength of his English scores but turned it down because his father did not want him to go, according to. Since the war began, he has been appealing to world leaders for more support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. And now hes facing the prospect of a full-scale invasion by Russia. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 10: Around the Cabinet in 49 Days, Enduring Denialism: A Threat to Sustainable Peace in Colombia. In the run up to the 2024 Ukrainian presidential election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Ukraine. When asked whether they approve of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's performance, 59% said they strongly approved and 32% that they somewhat approved of it. This story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog. And when the reviews are bad, he stops listening and surrounds himself with fans. In a tone-deaf address in January, for example, a patronizing Mr. Zelensky effectively mocked Ukrainians for their proneness to panic and laughed off a possible invasion. hide caption. move than serious policy. Zelensky suffered 'huge political blow' before Russian invasion NATO member states have rallied round Ukraine in recent weeks, with the United States, Britain and Poland among countries offering military aid and calling for tough sanctions on Moscow if Russia launches an attack. His fame and anti-establishment allure landed him with a parliamentary majority, a handpicked cabinet and a mandate for reform. President Volodymyr Zelensky listens during a joint press conference with the Lithuanian president (unseen) after talks at the presidential palace in Vilnius, Lithuania on Nov. 27, 2019. Mr. Zelenskys other major project, a campaign he calls deoligarchization thats aimed at capping the influence of the very wealthy, looks more like a P.R. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky: Six Facts - Aish.com Why didnt his obituaries say so? Well, I met someone in the street the other day who seemed to sum up why people are critical of him. Zelensky struggled as president, facing intense criticism, making major gaffes, and watching his approval ratings plummet. Climate Change, Hurricanes and US Security, Opinion: Churn in No. Therefore, the 2020 local elections were a chance not only for Servant of the People to expand its political influence, but also for Zelensky to handle future local disobedience. On 20 May, 2019 sworn in as the 6 th President of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky was born January 25, 1978 in Kryvyi Rih, a city in eastern Ukraine. West should have helped Ukraine in 2014, Zelenskyy tells Davos - CNBC Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used to be a comedian, but Jonathan Sarna, a professor at Brandeis University and one of the foremost historians on Jewish history, said that whatever the outcome, Zelensky could end up in a pretty singular place in the history books. In normal circumstances, that would be bad enough. Two years after the war, his son was born. Overall, 91% of respondents approve of. First, President Volodymyr Zelensky commands a 94% approval rating. I understand. Halfway through his presidential term, the popularity of Volodymyr Zelenskyy has substantially declined as, having won 70 per cent of the vote when elected, he now only commands 25 per cent support at the ballot box. Support 100 years of independent journalism. 2 target. Yet Mr. Zelenskys behavior, odd to the point of erratic, obscures a truth: He has no good options. This time last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the idea Russia would invade. . Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Zelensky has not elaborated on the details of his Jewish upbringing, or his religiosity, but he also hasnt shied away from expressing, an occasional message of Jewish pride and a strong sense of solidarity with Israel. That said, he seems to have embraced his new role without hesitation. The approval ratings of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has fallen down amid conflict with Russia. Chart. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Survey characteristics refer to the latest survey, which was conducted throughout Ukraine excluding territories of Crimea and Donbas not controlled by the government. Zelensky won the election in a landslide. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference on Russia's military operation in Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022. ", (SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE"). This might be the last time you see me alive, he reportedly, told European Union leaders on a call about steps the bloc was considering to try to stop Russias advances, On Friday, he was equally blunt about his situation as Russian troops attacked the capital Kyiv: the the enemy has identified me as the No. There are vocal opposition parties here. August 11, 2022. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. His family is Jewish and, like many Ukrainian Jews, was scarred by the Holocaust. The skating rink admittedly is a little harder to storm. But if it did come to that, does he trust Zelenskyy to defend Ukraine? On the one hand, any concession to Russia, particularly over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, would likely bring hundreds of thousands of people to the streets threatening him with the fate of Viktor Yanukovych, the president overthrown by a revolution in 2014. In the summer, it's a playground. Sign up to receive information regarding NS events, subscription offers & product updates. I mean, it's like his popularity ratings went off the cliff. The number of bank holidays in the UK is lower than most countries in Europe, Polluting SUVs have the carbon footprint of a major industrial nation, The strange death of moderate conservatism Audio Long Reads, Axis of Autocrats: Putin, Xi and Lukashenko, Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance, HR, Training and Organisational Development, Information and Communications Technology, Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives, Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities, Science and Technical Research and Development. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. The president's powers were constantly increasing, and, despite an expected decline in his popularity rating, Zelensky remained the most popular among Ukraine's most prominent politicians, especially those with presidential ambitions. And that Jewish identity has been repeatedly seized on by enemies and rivals, and celebrated by Jewish supporters around the world. . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law in the view of Russia targeting its military infrastructure. And just 33% of Americans are confident in his ability to handle an international crisis, according to the Economist poll. But in times of national emergency, true leaders rise to the occasion. This is not Russia. 33% of the 72% expressed a lot of confidence in Zelensky. Volodymyr Zelensky Plays Himself - The Atlantic Anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies are either stalling or run by loyalists appointed by the president. "For instance, about two-thirds of Democrats voice confidence in Macron and Scholz, while only about four-in-ten Republicans say they have confidence in each European leader.". And it's low, but, you know, just like that skater you met today, people don't really see an alternative. Before running for president, Zelensky was a comedian. People who think the country is . But then he did just that. The survey also took Americans' temperatures on other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Statista. March 17, 2022. Distribution and use of this material are governed by BBC News Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who had no experience of politics when elected less than three years ago, has suddenly emerged as a convincing war leader. The circle around the president has become an echo chamber. Strategic objectives are sacrificed for short-term benefits. Russian invasion transforms Zelensky | The Hill Putin fared the worst of any head of state included in the survey, with only 6% of U.S. adults expressing confidence in him following his decision to invade Ukraine. With more than 70 percent approval, . Boryana Saragerova received a MA in Terrorism, Security & Society from Kings College London. The reforms give local leaders the power to handle budgets, investment and taxes more freely and are seen as one of the most successful democratic outcomes of the Euromaidan revolution. At the most consequential hour in Europe since the collapse of the Soviet Union, as a vengeful and erratic autocrat invades Ukraine alluding darkly to . Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky challenged by return of domestic KYIV, Ukraine Its not hard to guess what President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine must be craving right now: one normal day. Today, Zelensky commands a 96% approval rating in Ukraine and Ms. McGuffie, like many Ukrainians, is enthusiastically backing their president. Forty years later, his grandson became president. Initial indications of progress were overshadowed by Zelenskys decision to replace the reformist ministerial cabinet and other critical state officials with controversial figures in March 2020. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. The date range for these polls are from the 2019 Ukrainian presidential election to the present day. As we have been out and about here in the Ukrainian capital, we have met a lot of people who have a lot of not particularly nice things to say about the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Here are some tips. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Did Voice Paddington - The His opponents said he was so inexperienced, he was bound to be a disaster. His approval rating was falling. This fear from local Jews has persisted into the early days of the Russian invasion. and whose brief term post-war was seen as a step forward for Frances coming to terms with its Nazi collaborationism. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has seen his approval rating skyrocket amid the invasion from Russia. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. It's an imperfect democracy, but it is a democracy.