All week, we take stock of the possible outcome of the war in Ukraine. In this third episode, Clara Marchaud, L’Express correspondent in Ukraine, tells us how Volodymyr Zelensky is in difficulty today, despite the support of a large part of the population.
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The team: Charlotte Baris (presentation and writing), Jules Krot (editing and direction)
Credits: Arte, HuffPost, INA
Music and dressing: Emmanuel Herschon/Studio Torrent
Logo: Jérémy Cambour
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Charlotte Baris: This year, Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated five years as President of Ukraine. The opportunity to remind you of the journey of a leader who became known throughout the world in just a few months. Before entering politics, Zelensky was an actor and among his notable roles was playing the title character in the series Servant of the people. He plays a history professor unexpectedly elected president of Ukraine. A role that he actually ended up taking on in March 2019. And Volodymyr Zelensky was largely elected: more than 70% of the votes.
The Ukrainians saw him as a candidate of the people and his promises won them over: putting an end to corruption and poverty, stopping the war in the Donbass in the east and recovering the territories occupied by Russia. Shortly after his election, in December 2019, Zelensky even met with Vladimir Putin to talk about peace.
But in February 2022, the Ukrainian president transformed himself into a warlord. Since the Russian invasion, he has chosen to stay in kyiv. He regularly addresses the nation, often goes to the front, and leaves the country only to ask the world to support him. Zelensky’s mandate has therefore come to an end, but he remains at the head of the country, and now his popularity is eroding. After almost three years of war, the Ukrainian president must also face unrest within his population.
To go further
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Ukraine: Zelensky and the dilemma of the 2024 presidential election
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