Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Volodymyr Zelenskyy
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an impact.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the current president of Ukraine, serving since 2019. Before entering politics, he was a successful entertainer. His presidency has been largely defined by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, particularly the full-scale Russian invasion that began in February 2022. He has been a key figure in leading Ukraine's response to the invasion and garnering international support.
15 hours ago : Zelenskyy proposes peace talks as Russia insists on war goals amid Trump threat.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed renewed peace talks with Russia. However, Russia insists on achieving its war goals. Kremlin stated Putin is open to peace only after Russia's objectives are met, further complicating the situation.
1997: KVN Major League Win
In 1997, Zelenskyy's united Ukrainian team "Zaporizhzhia-Kryvyi Rih-Transit" won in KVN's Major League.
1998: Kvartal 95 Performance in Major League KVN
From 1998, Kvartal 95 performed in the Major League of KVN.
2003: Departure from KVN
In 2003, Zelenskyy and Kvartal 95 left KVN after Zelenskyy declined a job offer and following an antisemitic incident.
2003: Kvartal 95 Performance in Major League KVN
Until 2003, Kvartal 95 performed in the Major League of KVN.
2005: Move to Inter TV Channel
In 2005, Kvartal 95 moved to the Ukrainian TV channel Inter.
2008: Starred in "Love in the Big City"
In 2008, Zelenskyy starred in the feature film "Love in the Big City".
2010: Joined Inter TV Channel Board
In 2010, Zelenskyy became a member of the board and the general producer of the TV channel Inter.
2011: Starred in "Office Romance. Our Time"
In 2011, Zelenskyy starred in the film "Office Romance. Our Time".
2012: Left Inter TV Channel Board
In 2012, Zelenskyy left his position on the board and as general producer of the TV channel Inter.
2012: Starred in "Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon"
In 2012, Zelenskyy starred in the film "Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon".
January 2014: "Love in the Big City 3" Release
In January 2014, "Love in the Big City 3" was released.
August 2014: Performance for troops in Mariupol and donation to army
In August 2014, Zelenskyy performed for Ukrainian troops in Mariupol and his studio donated ₴1 million to the Ukrainian army.
2015: Servant of the People Airing on 1+1
From 2015, the Servant of the People TV series was broadcasted on the 1+1 Media Group's TV channels.
2015: Starred in "Servant of the People"
In 2015, Zelenskyy became the star of the television series "Servant of the People", where he played the role of the president of Ukraine.
2015: Starred in "8 First Dates" sequel
In 2015, Zelenskyy starred in a sequel to the film "8 First Dates".
2015: Servant of the People TV Series Airing
In 2015, the TV series "Servant of the People", starring Zelenskyy as a fictional Ukrainian president, began airing.
2016: Co-presented Teletriumph Awards
In 2016, Zelenskyy co-presented the Teletriumph Awards, the national television awards of Ukraine, alongside Masha Efrosynina.
2016: Starred in "8 First Dates" sequel
In 2016, Zelenskyy starred in a sequel to the film "8 First Dates".
2017: Voice of Paddington Bear in "Paddington 2"
In 2017, Zelenskyy voiced Paddington Bear in the Ukrainian dubbing of "Paddington 2".
2017: Svaty Banned in Ukraine
In 2017, the comedy series Svaty ("In-laws"), which Zelenskyy co-produced, was banned in Ukraine.
March 2018: Servant of the People Party Creation
In March 2018, employees of Kvartal 95 created a political party with the same name as the TV show "Servant of the People".
October 2018: Frontrunner in Opinion Polls
As early as October 2018, Zelenskyy was already a frontrunner in opinion polls for the presidential election.
December 2018: Negotiations with Russia to end war in Donbas
In December 2018, Zelenskyy stated that as president he would try to end the ongoing war in Donbas by negotiating with Russia.
December 2018: Starred in "I, You, He, She"
In December 2018, Zelenskyy's romantic comedy "I, You, He, She" appeared on the screens of Ukraine.
December 2018: Presidential Candidacy Announcement
On the evening of 31 December 2018, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced his candidacy in the 2019 presidential election.
2018: "Love in the Big City 2" Banned in Ukraine
In 2018, the romantic comedy "Love in the Big City 2", starring Zelenskyy, was banned in Ukraine due to a blacklisted Russian actor.
March 2019: First round of elections
In March 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy achieved a plurality of the electorate with 30% of the vote in the first round of the Ukrainian presidential elections.
March 2019: Svaty Unbanned in Ukraine
In March 2019, the comedy series Svaty ("In-laws"), which Zelenskyy co-produced, was unbanned in Ukraine.
April 2019: Election as President of Ukraine
In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy won the second round of the Ukrainian presidential election with 73% of the vote, defeating Petro Poroshenko. He received congratulations from leaders such as Andrzej Duda, Emmanuel Macron, and Donald Trump, along with a joint letter from Jean Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk who stated the EU will work to speed up the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement.
April 2019: Views on language and artists
In April 2019, Zelenskyy stated his opposition to targeting the Russian language in Ukraine and banning artists for their political opinions. He was not against Ukrainian language quotas but noted they could be tweaked. He also said that Russian artists "who have turned into (anti-Ukrainian) politicians" should remain banned from entering Ukraine.
April 2019: Putin regarded as an enemy
In April 2019, Zelenskyy stated that he regarded Putin "as an enemy."
April 2019: Presidential Debates
On 19 April 2019, presidential debates were held at Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex in the form of a show.
May 2019: Inauguration as President
In May 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was inaugurated as President of Ukraine, with foreign officials in attendance. Zelenskyy became the first Jewish president of Ukraine and, 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.
June 2019: First Official Trip Abroad
In June 2019, Zelenskyy's first official trip abroad as president was to Brussels, where he met with EU and NATO officials.
July 2019: Initiative to Remove Immunity Submitted
In July 2019, it was announced that the president's initiative to remove immunity from lawmakers, diplomats, and judges would be submitted after the July 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election.
July 2019: Servant of the People party wins majority
In the 21st of 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 percent of the party-list vote, gaining 254 of the 424 seats.
July 2019: First Telephone Conversation with Putin
On 11 July 2019, Zelenskyy held his first telephone conversation with Russian president Vladimir Putin, urging him to enter into EU-mediated talks and discussing prisoner exchanges.
August 2019: Promise to Lift Moratorium on Exhuming Polish Mass Graves
In August 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to lift the moratorium on exhuming Polish mass graves in Ukraine. This decision came after the previous Ukrainian government had prohibited Polish exhumations of Polish victims from the Ukrainian Insurgent Army-perpetrated Volhynian massacres, following the removal of a memorial to the Ukrainian Insurgent Army in Hruszowice, southeastern Poland.
December 2019: Resumption of Normandy Format Talks
In December 2019, Russia and Ukraine agreed to resume talks mediated by France and Germany under the Normandy Format, which had been abandoned in 2016, marking Zelenskyy's first face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin.
2019: Proposed election with closed lists
After calling the snap 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election, Zelenskyy proposed to hold the election with closed lists, but this bill was rejected by parliament.
2019: Transfer of Shares and Election Campaign
Around the time of his election in 2019, Zelenskyy handed his shares in a key offshore company over to Serhiy Shefir, but arrangements were made for Zelenskyy's family to continue receiving money from these companies. His 2019 election campaign had centered on pledges to clean up the government of Ukraine.
2019: Promises during presidential campaign
During the 2019 presidential campaign, Zelenskyy promised bills to fight corruption, including removal of immunity from the president, members of parliament and judges, a law about impeachment, reform of election laws, and providing efficient trial by jury. He also promised to bring the salary for military personnel "to the level of NATO standards."
2019: Became President of Ukraine
In 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy became the sixth president of Ukraine.
2019: Against granting Donbas region special status
Three days before the 2019 presidential election, Zelenskyy stated that he was against granting the Donbas region "special status" and would not sign a law on amnesty for the militants of the DPR and LPR.
February 2020: Dismissal of Andriy Bohdan
On 11 February 2020, Zelenskyy dismissed Andriy Bohdan as head of his presidential administration and appointed Andriy Yermak as his successor the same day.
March 2020: Honchurak's Resignation as Prime Minister
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, and Denys Shmyhal was appointed as his replacement. Honchurak's departure caused disquiet both in Ukraine and abroad.
July 2020: Announcement of Formal Ceasefire
In July 2020, Zelenskyy announced a formal ceasefire with the separatists, marking the twentieth such attempt since the war began in 2014.
October 2020: Support for Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh war
In October 2020, Zelenskyy voiced his support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh war, a conflict between Azerbaijan and ethnic Armenians over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
January 2021: Ukraine as neutral party
In January 2021, Zelenskyy said in an interview with Axios that he does not perceive China as a geopolitical threat and that he does not agree with the United States assertions that it represents one.
January 2021: Referendum Law Reformed
In January 2021, parliament passed a bill updating and reforming Ukraine's referendum laws, which the Constitutional Court had declared unconstitutional in 2018, fulfilling one of Zelenskyy's campaign promises.
March 2021: Decree on Crimea De-occupation Strategy
On 24 March 2021, Zelenskyy signed 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.
May 2021: Consideration of a Second Term
In May 2021, Zelenskyy walked back his initial promise to serve only a single term, saying he had not yet made up his mind.
June 2021: Bill Creating Public Registry of Oligarchs Submitted
In June 2021, Zelenskyy submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada creating a public registry of Ukraine's oligarchs, banning them from privatizations and political contributions. While supported in principle, critics worried about concentrating power in the president and the register's effectiveness.
September 2021: U.S. Trip, Meetings, and Assassination Attempt on Aide
In September 2021, during a trip to the United States, Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and other high-ranking officials. He also participated in the opening of the Ukrainian House in Washington, D.C., met with Apple CEO Tim Cook, spoke at Stanford University, and engaged with Ukrainians in Silicon Valley. While still in the U.S., an assassination attempt occurred on his aide, Shefir, in Ukraine, although Shefir was unharmed in September 2021.
September 2021: Passage of Oligarch Bill
In September 2021, the bill creating a public registry of Ukraine's oligarchs, which was originally submitted to the Verkhovna Rada in June 2021, was passed into law.
December 2021: Call for Preemptive Action Against Russia
In December 2021, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for preemptive action against Russia amid rising tensions.
2021: Appointment of Mykola Oleshchuk as Head of Ukrainian Air Force
In 2021, Mykola Oleshchuk was appointed as the head of the Ukrainian Air Force, a position he held until being decommissioned by Volodymyr Zelenskyy in August 2024.
January 2022: Appeal to Avoid Panic
On 19 January 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video message urging Ukrainian citizens not to panic and appealing to the media to be "methods of mass information and not mass hysteria."
February 2022: General Mobilization and Ban on Men Leaving Ukraine
In February 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered a general military mobilization and banned men aged 18 to 60 from leaving Ukraine.
February 2022: Application to join the EU
In February 2022, Zelenskyy formally applied for Ukraine to join the European Union.
March 2022: Visit from European Prime Ministers and Deepfake Disinformation Attack
On 15 March 2022, the Prime Ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia visited Kyiv to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a display of support. On 16 March 2022, a deepfake video appeared online showing Zelenskyy calling on Ukrainian citizens to surrender to Russia.
March 2022: Response to Kremlin Demands and Proposal for Security Agreement
On 7 March 2022, the Kremlin demanded Ukraine's neutrality, recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, and recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states to end the invasion. On 8 March, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed willingness to discuss Putin's demands, proposing a new collective security agreement with the United States, Turkey, France, and Germany as an alternative to NATO membership.
May 2022: Denouncement of Kissinger's Suggestions and Remarks on Recapturing Territories
In May 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced suggestions by Henry Kissinger regarding ceding control of Crimea and Donbas to Russia. On 25 May 2022, Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would not agree to peace until Russia returned Crimea and Donbas. He also expressed concerns about potential losses if attempting to recapture all seized land by force.
May 2022: Duty of Ukrainian Men to Remain in Ukraine
In May 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian men of conscription age had a duty to remain in Ukraine.
May 2022: Ukraine to regain all its territories
On 25 May 2022, Zelenskyy declared that "Ukraine will fight until it regains all its territories."
May 2022: Criticism of EU Leaders on Russia Energy Imports
On 30 May 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized EU leaders for being too soft on Russia, questioning why Russia could still earn nearly a billion euros a day by selling energy.
June 2022: Address to African Union Representatives
On 20 June 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed African Union (AU) representatives via videoconference and invited African leaders to a virtual meeting.
July 2022: Mercosur Trade Bloc Refusal
On 20 July 2022, South America's Mercosur trade bloc refused Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request to speak at the trade bloc's summit in Paraguay.
August 2022: Comments on China's Potential Leverage
In August 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said China had the economic leverage to pressure Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
December 2022: Bill to ban religious organizations affiliated with Russia
On 2 December 2022, Zelenskyy announced his administration would introduce a bill in the Verkhovna Rada to ban "religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation" from operating in Ukraine, referring to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) (UOC-MP).
December 2022: Visit to the United States
On 21 December 2022, Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the United States on his first foreign trip since the war began. He met with President Joe Biden and addressed Congress, and the United States announced they would supply Patriot missiles to Ukraine.
2022: Call on Russians to Resist Mobilization and End to Peace Talks with Putin
Speaking about the 2022 Russian mobilization, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Russians to not submit to "criminal mobilization." Following Vladimir Putin's announcement of Russia annexing four regions of Ukrainian territory, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would not hold peace talks with Russia while Putin was president.
May 2023: Visit to the International Criminal Court
In May 2023, Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the International Criminal Court in The Hague and stated he would like to see Putin stand trial for war crimes committed during the war in Ukraine, including the crime of aggression.
October 2023: Criticism of Countries Supporting Russia
In October 2023, Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized countries supporting Russia, saying "all those who help Russia circumvent sanctions are criminals," after the Hroza missile attack.
October 2023: Condemnation of Hamas attack and support for two-state solution
In October 2023, Zelenskyy condemned Hamas' attack on Israel, affirmed Israel's right to self-defense, supported the two-state solution and recognition of the State of Palestine, called for adherence to international law, expressed readiness to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, and aimed to prevent civilian suffering.
2023: New Law on Desertion
In early 2023, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new law stating that desertion or failure to report for duty without a valid reason would result in up to 12 years in prison.
February 2024: Decommissioning of General Valery Zaluzhny
On 8 February 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy decommissioned General Valery Zaluzhny as Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and promoted General Oleksandr Syrskyi in his stead. On 17 February Syrskyi declared he would hold Avdiivka no longer.
April 2024: New Mobilization Law
In April 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new mobilization law to increase the number of troops. He also signed into law a measure lowering Ukraine's army mobilization age from 27 to 25.
June 2024: Comments on China's Support for Russia
In June 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that China's support for Russia would prolong the war in Ukraine. According to Zelenskyy, Russia used Chinese diplomats to undermine the Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland.
June 2024: Decommissioning of LtGen Yuriy Sodol
On 25 June 2024 Volodymyr Zelenskyy decommissioned LtGen Yuriy Sodol, who had been promoted in February to Syrskyi's now-vacant position. He installed Brig Gen Andriy Hnatov to replace the defunct Sodol.
July 2024: Criticism of Narendra Modi's Meeting with Putin
In July 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Narendra Modi's meeting with Putin on the same day that Russian missile strikes hit the children's hospital Okhmatdyt in Kyiv, calling it "a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy hug the world’s most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day."
August 2024: Bill to ban religious organizations affiliated with Russia signed
In August 2024, a bill that would ban "religious organizations affiliated with centers of influence in the Russian Federation" from operating in Ukraine, was passed by parliament and signed by Zelenskyy, after opposition parties protested the bill's delay. The law treats each parish individually and gives it nine months to cut ties with the UOC-MP, following which a special commission will inspect individual parishes and file lawsuits against non-compliant ones; the court can then decide on a ban in each case.
August 2024: Dismissal of Ukrainian Air Force Commander
On 30 August 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy decommissioned Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk, who had headed the Ukrainian Air Force since 2021, shortly after the death of F-16 pilot Col Oleksiy Mes during a Russian missile attack. The reason for the dismissal was not specified.
September 2024: Government cabinet tendered resignations
On 4 September 2024, most of the Shmyhal Government cabinet tendered their resignations while Zelenskyy considered his reshuffle.
October 2024: Unveiling of Victory Plan for Ukraine
In October 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy unveiled the Victory Plan for Ukraine, including five points focused on geopolitical, military, economic, national defense, and safety aspects.
December 2024: Resisted lower conscription age
In December 2024, Volodymyr Zelenskyy resisted pressure from the Biden administration to lower the conscription age to 18 in order to replace Ukraine's battlefield losses.
2024: Decriminalization of First Instance of Desertion
In late 2024, the Verkhovna Rada passed bills decriminalizing soldiers' first instance of desertion or absence without leave if they returned to their duty station, and allowing these soldiers to return to military service.
February 2025: Ukraine to introduce special military contracts
In February 2025, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would introduce special military contracts for volunteers aged 18 to 24.
February 2025: Meeting with U.S. President Trump
In February 2025, Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Trump at the White House to discuss a proposed agreement regarding extraction of rare minerals. The meeting devolved into a heated exchange, resulting in cancellations and Zelenskyy's eviction from the White House.
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