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

7 years ago today, Zelensky took office. His legacy is now tied to war

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

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7 years ago today, Zelensky took office. His legacy is now tied to war

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

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

How Ukraine’s Navy is defending its vital Black Sea ports from Russian attacks

ODESA — The danger comes from across the Black Sea, but the city itself ends at the shoreline. For Ukraine’s Navy, that has become a tactical problem. "The main problem of fighting off drones in Odesa, which doesn’t exist in other cities, is that here’s Odesa, and here’s the sea,” Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, told the Kyiv Independent while speaking from the shore. "Factually, Odesa ends at the water’s edge, and as it turns out you can’t throw a lot of air defense i

Divers from the Special Purpose Unit go through training exercises off the coast of Odesa, Ukraine, on March 6, 2024.

From landslide election victory to wartime leadership: 7 Years of Zelensky's presidency in photos

Volodymyr Zelensky was sworn in as Ukraine's president on May 20, 2019. He entered office as a political outsider — a relatively young comedian and television producer — promising anti-corruption reforms and peace with Russia. Within years, he would become the face of Ukraine's wartime resistance and one of the world's most recognizable leaders during Europe's deadliest war since World War II. 7 years ago today, Zelensky took office. His legacy is now tied to warRiding a wave of political mom

President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 30, 2019.

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