Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy won the Ukrainian presidential election in a landslide, defeating incumbent Petro Poroshenko with 73% of the vote. He was a political outsider and former comedian with no prior political experience.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Zelenskyy remained in Kyiv and rallied national and international support, becoming a symbol of Ukrainian resistance.

Ukrainian forces under Zelenskyy's leadership launched successful counteroffensives, liberating large territories in Kharkiv Oblast and the city of Kherson. These were major military victories against Russian forces.

Zelenskyy addressed the UN General Assembly via video, calling for a special tribunal for Russian war crimes and demanding accountability. He urged global unity against aggression.

Zelenskyy formally submitted Ukraine's application for EU membership and continued to push for NATO membership. Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June 2022.