Who is Volodymyr Zelensky and how did he become President of Ukraine

(CNN Spanish) — This is a glimpse into the life of Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president who has become a symbol of resistance to Russia after the February 24 invasion.

Personal information

Date of birth: January 25, 1978 (41 years old)

Place of birth: Kryvyy Rih, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)

Full name: Volodymyr Zelensky

Marriage: Olena Zelenska (born February 6, 1978)

(UKRINFORM/Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Sons: a daughter and a son with Olena Zelenska

Education: Kryvyy Rih Economic Institute, law, 2000

Religion: Jewish

Other data

Before becoming president of Ukraine, Zelensky was a successful actor and comedian, best remembered for his role in the 2015 series “Servant of the People,” a political satire in which Zelensky plays a high school teacher who becomes president of Ukraine.

The series not only made Zelensky a star. He eventually served as a springboard for his real-life presidential campaign. In April 2019, a month after the show ended, the comedian-turned-politician was elected president of Ukraine, defeating Petro Poroshenko.

But his tenure has been difficult. The first few months were marred by the quid-pro-quo scandal that saw former US President Donald Trump attempt to put pressure on Ukraine to dig up dirty laundry from his election opponent and now President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

The covid-19 then swept Ukraine. And Zelensky’s campaign promises, such as ending the war in eastern Ukraine and rooting out corruption, remain unfulfilled.

Chronology

April 21, 2019 — Political newcomer Zelensky declares victory in Ukraine’s presidential election after exit polls showed he was on course for a landslide victory against incumbent Poroshenko. Zelensky’s populist campaign focused on his promise to fight corruption and revive the economy.

July 21, 2019 — Zelensky’s party wins a majority of seats in parliament during early elections, ordered after he was sworn in as president.

July 25, 2019 — Zelensky speaks with Trump on the phone. Trump is asking Zelensky to work with Giuliani and Attorney General Bill Barr on an investigation of Biden, according to notes from the call released following a whistleblower complaint about the president’s conduct. Trump is later reported to have told his acting chief of staff that he would block nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine before speaking to Zelensky.

October 1, 2019 — Zelensky agrees to hold local elections in eastern Ukraine and signs agreements with Russia, European monitors, and separatists in the region. The deal could pave the way for peace talks between Zelensky, Putin and European leaders. Ukrainian nationalists protest the deal, describing it as capitulation to Russia.

March 4, 2020 — Zelensky replaces the country’s prime minister and says he expects the new prime minister to “do the impossible.” Ukraine’s parliament approves Denis Shmygal as the new prime minister, after accepting Oleksiy Honcharuk’s resignation at an extraordinary session of Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament.

December 3, 2021 — After months of steady surges along the Russian-Ukrainian border, CNN reports that Russian forces have capabilities along the Ukrainian border to carry out a quick and immediate invasion, including building supply lines. such as medical units and fuel.

February 24, 2022 — Russian President Vladimir Putin made a speech early Thursday morning, saying he had decided “to carry out a special military operation… to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the regime of Kyiv for eight years,” repeating an unsubstantiated claim about the Russian separatist-backed Donbas region of Ukraine.

Then the war begins and Zelensky orders a general mobilization.

With information from Kara Fox, Joshua Berlinger, Michael Bociurkiw, and Lisa Respers France.