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

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Ukraine war latest: Russia unleashes large-scale aerial assault on Ukraine, leaving 22 dead, 130 injured

Editor's note: Got an opinion on anything you've read in the Kyiv Independent so far? Send it to letters@kyivindependent.com, and it may appear in our Letters section. Key developments on June 2: * Kyiv reels after Russia unleashes massive missile, drone attack on Ukraine, killing at least 22 * Ukraine strikes Russia's Ilsky oil refinery for at least 16th time since start of full-scale war * Neva radar, Pantsir air defense, and a tugboat — Ukraine releases latest drone strike video hit list

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