Politics

President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, on April 23, 2026.
Politics

From showman to commander-in-chief: Zelensky's struggle to balance war, governance, and trust

by Kateryna Denisova

Riding a wave of political momentum in 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky, a showman turned wartime leader, could have hardly imagined the path his presidency would take. Some argue that Zelensky's 2019 election was less of an endorsement of his political platform, a populist one, rather a rejection of the old entrenched elite seen as ineffective and corrupt. Years later, Zelensky still faces the domestic challenges that confronted his predecessors — issues he once promised to resolve. On the internatio

News Feed

Mobilization in Ukraine: reform prospects, battlefield impact — next KI Insights monthly briefing

Mobilization has consistently been one of the weakest elements of Ukraine's military response to Russia's full-scale invasion. The system is widely hated by the public, plagued by corruption, and has often failed to meet targets needed to ensure the country's defense. Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has proposed bold new plans to reform the system, but is facing opposition from within the military and Ukraine's top leadership. This private briefing will explore the following questions: * Wh

News Feed