Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president who has led his country to a string of once-unthinkable victories in its war against Russia was named Time’s Person of the Year for 2022, sharing the distinction with “the spirit of Ukraine.”
What You Need To Know
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president who has led his country to a string of once-unthinkable victories in its war against Russia was named Time’s Person of the Year for 2022, sharing the distinction with “the spirit of Ukraine”
- Zelenskyy, 44, was thrust into the national spotlight when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February
- Time reporter Simon Shuster wrote that Zelenskyy’s “success as a wartime leader has relied on the fact that courage is contagious,” adding that the president’s decision not to flee the country sent a strong message to his people
- Time’s Person of the Year, which dates back to 1927, is not necessarily an honor, but rather a recognition of “the individual or group who most shaped the previous 12 months, for better or for worse”
Zelenskyy, 44, was thrust into the national spotlight when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February. In the early weeks of the war, Ukrainian soldiers repelled a Russian advance on the capital of Kyiv. Later, Ukraine forced Russian soldiers to retreat from areas they had earlier seized, although Putin’s forces still control a large swath of territory in eastern Ukraine.
The setbacks for Russia prompted Putin in September to order a partial military mobilization of as many as 300,000 reservists.
Zelenskyy became a familiar face on television, smartphone screens and computer monitors around the world this year, as he regularly and unwaveringly pressed nations to provide more and more military aid to Ukraine and not to turn their attention from the war. His country has enjoyed broad support in the former of financial assistance and military equipment from countries around the world, although they’ve resisted joining the fight directly.
“Zelenskyy really galvanized the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades, not just other governments but major companies that pulled out of Russia en masse and countless individuals around the world who came together around this cause, around this country,” Time Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal told NBC’s “Today” show Wednesday morning in announcing the selection.
Time reporter Simon Shuster wrote that Zelenskyy’s “success as a wartime leader has relied on the fact that courage is contagious,” adding that the president’s decision not to flee the country sent a strong message to his people.
“Instead of running for their lives, many Ukrainians grabbed whatever weapons they could find and ran to defend their towns and cities against an invading force armed with tanks and attack helicopters,” Shuster wrote.
Zelenskyy told Time that he believes if Russia is successful in stripping Ukraine of its sovereignty, independence and peace, it will reverberate around the world and other countries’ freedom could soon be at risk.
“If they devour us, the sun in your sky will get dimmer,” the Ukrainian president said.
Zelenskyy also said his goal is to ensure Russia’s latest invasion in Ukraine is its last attempt to conquer Ukraine.
“Later we will be judged,” he said. “I have not finished this great, important action for our country. Not yet.”
Time’s Person of the Year dates back to 1927. It’s not necessarily an honor, but rather a recognition of “the individual or group who most shaped the previous 12 months, for better or for worse,” Time says.
Other finalists this year were U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; gun safety advocates; SpaceX, Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk; protesters in Iran; billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott; the U.S. Supreme Court; Chinese President Xi Jinping; and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Musk was the Person of the Year in 2021.
Time has expanded its recognition to other categories. This year, K-pop band Blackpink was named its Entertainer of the Year, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was chosen as Athlete of the Year, and the women of Iran were honored as the Heroes of the Year.
