Do you approve or disapprove of the actions of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky? And just 33% of Americans are confident in his ability to handle an international crisis, according to the Economist poll. The man now seen as the face of resistance to Russian military aggression voiced the Peruvian bear in the . Americans are more divided over Biden's handling of international affairs, with 48% saying they have confidence in this area and 52% having either not too much or none at all. "Do You Approve or Disapprove of The Actions of The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky?. Zelensky was born in a Russian-speaking area of eastern Ukraine to Jewish parents, a mother who was an engineer and a father who is a computer scientist. Also see |War zone: Ukraine's US-made Javelin anti-tank missile vs Russian T-72 beasts. Zelensky is followed by French President Emmanuel Macron (55%), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (53%), President Biden (48%) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (15%). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's strategy for dealing with . WION: "Approval ratings of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fall amid Russia conflict" Paul Provenza, author of Satiristas! The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. In fact, almost half of Americans ages 65 and older have a lot of confidence in Zelenskyy, compared with 28% of adults under 30. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. He survived World War II contributing to the victory over Nazism and hateful ideology. NATALIA SLASTINA: (Non-English language spoken). In the midst of the nationwide lockdown in Ukraine, Zelensky openly confronted Anatoly Bondarenko, the mayor of Cherkasy, who defied orders and re-opened restaurants and ships in the town. MAX VASYLCHUK: I mean, in my childhood, I was a hockey player. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Furthermore, questions about his Jewishness have exploded into the international consciousness: Has his Jewish background put him or his fellow Ukrainian Jews in more danger? Mr. Zelensky, the showman and performer, has been unmasked by reality. Show publisher information Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. In 2019, a TV star rails against corruption, runs for president, and he wins. But many were also worried that if he failed to follow through on the many ambitious promises that boosted him to a sweeping electoral victory reforming a corrupt political system, standing up to Russia, restoring general confidence in government that angry citizens could blame his Jewishness. Other historical figures whose Jewishness featured large in their national leadership include Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th-century British prime minister who was faced unrelenting antisemitism. KELLY: So we keep talking about Zelenskyy. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. But once. The Ukrainians surprised us all. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Published Feb. 3, 2020. Zelenskys ambitions appear to be colliding with his populist rhetoric, while his willingness to succumb to pressure from oligarchs is gradually losing him the trust of Ukrainians and the West. The claim: '15-minute city' planned in Ottawa will confine residents. That. She has worked on a diverse set of topics from the prevention of religion-motivated violence in Bangladesh, during the 64th International Student Conference in Tokyo, Japan to bilateral and multilateral relations in South-Eastern Europe during her internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria. His hastily assembled team quickly fell apart, and yesterdays allies turned into some of his harshest critics. ESTRIN: He's a comedian, and he's a TV star. I'm about to lace up skates, and we'll tell you why. He had a very long day today talking with foreign embassies about this whole situation, and he says, listen. But despite such dwindling numbers, he remains the most popular Ukrainian politician with support across Ukraine and a strong chance of re-election. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I point to the building next to us and ask her, what does she think of the president? He is visibly irritated by traditional journalists: In. Why? An interpreter translating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech broke down on the air. The current war is not Zelenskys first experience as the center of international attention not long after being elected, he found himself ensnared in former President Donald Trumps first impeachment scandal, thanks to an infamous White House phone call. Many experts thought Kyiv would fall in 24 hours but four days later the battle continues.. The United States War Against Russian Disinformation: Is the GEC Fit for Purpose? But in times of national emergency, true leaders rise to the occasion. Support 100 years of independent journalism. The biggest risk for Ukraine and the biggest risk for the sovereignty of our state is destabilization within our state, Zelensky said. In normal circumstances, that would be bad enough. However, I spoke with Oleksiy Haran, who runs a think tank here. Strategic objectives are sacrificed for short-term benefits. When asked whether they approve of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's performance, 59% said they strongly approved and 32% that they somewhat approved of it. Nevertheless, these elections have also been influenced by the global coronavirus pandemic, as voter turnout was very low in comparison to previous local elections in 2015, mainly due to health concerns and a demoralised electorate. Along the way, he married a high school classmate, with whom he has two children, a 17-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son. Now, a new survey puts a finer point on just how much support he has from the American public. Zelensky won the election in a landslide. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Jonathan Sarna, a professor at Brandeis University and one of the foremost historians on Jewish history, said that whatever the outcome, Zelensky could end up in a pretty singular place in the history books. He beats the incumbent. It reappears every winter. I understand. KELLY: NPR's Daniel Estrin, so glad you were here helping to tell this story. Positioning himself as the antithesis of Poroshenko, Zelensky ran in the presidential election as a populist politician who defends the interests of the people against the ruling class. Afiq Fitri is a data journalist at New Statesman Media Group. If the EU could speak, what would it say? Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Its not just the media Mr. Zelensky struggles to work with. Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header. We walk into a small, heated tent, and they hand us skates. Throughout 2020 his approval rating steadily fell. All rights reserved. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. By Afiq Fitri The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky visits the front-line positions of the Ukrainian military in Donbas, Ukraine on 6 December 2021. More recently, a top lawmaker was caught on camera drunkenly offering a bribe to a police officer at the site of a car crash he might have caused. Since the war began, he has been appealing to world leaders for more support for Ukraine and sanctions on Russia. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. Distribution and use of this material are governed by Gestures, for him, are more important than consequences. The Servant of the People party, which won a majority in the parliamentary elections in 2019, as well as President Zelensky, initially exhibited signs of real commitment to their reformist platforms. Zelensky's approval ratings are continuing to rise. He has been the president for two - more than two years right now. And then weve had political figures who happen to be Jewish, but dont hide that fact. "Ugh a sign at a construction site in downtown Ottawa," reads the tweet's caption. People who think the country is . Use Ask Statista Research Service, Computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (Presidency of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images). His ratings had slumped after he arrived in office in mid-2019, and by December 2021 they sat at just 30 . Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that these funds are extremely important, as they allow us to cover the unfunded part of the state budget and support the segments of the population that need it most. Yes, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Did Voice Paddington, StudioCanal Confirms. This is not Russia. March 17, 2022. In March 2020, when his chief of staffs brother was caught offering government posts for money, Mr. Zelensky did nothing. He says you can hear people criticizing the president in the streets, you know, even sometimes in the skating rink. The ideal entry-level account for individual users. Police, security agencies advise Jews to be on alert ahead of planned National Day of Hate on Shabbat, 10 months into leadership crisis, fighting has renewed over German rabbinical schools future, Albania to build museum to citizens who saved Jews during Holocaust, As European nations celebrate their past, a US Holocaust envoy reminds them of its darker corners, Israels chief Ashkenazi rabbi visits Taiwan in milestone moment for the countrys Jewish community, 80 years later, Thessalonikis documentary film festival to pay tribute to deported Jews, Wikipedias Supreme Court tackles alleged conspiracy to distort articles on Holocaust, Connecticut College students are in revolt after presidents planned talk at Florida club with antisemitic and racist past, March comes in with a roar of new Yiddish music, Converting to Judaism has defined my high school experience, The Jewish Sport Report: Your guide to Team Israel and the World Baseball Classic. Now, Zelenskyy's critics claim there's a reason he did that - to prevent people from protesting in front of his office, though that did not stop demonstrators from marching through the playground earlier this year. A weekly newsletter helping you fit together the pieces of the global economic slowdown. The biggest controversy, however, was his firing of prosecutor general Ruslan Ryaboshapka, favoured by Western countries because of his anti-corruption efforts and drive for reform. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the U.S. Congress on March 16, 2022, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Zelinsky initially made his name in Ukraine as a comic actor portraying on television a teacher who inadvertently becomes president after railing against corruption. Copyright 2022 NPR. Now, he is at the center of the continents most significant conflict since World War II, framing himself as a possible martyr on the world stage. Do the public support the nurses strike? Read more here about the study's findings and methodology. In the run up to the 2024 Ukrainian presidential election, various organisations carried out opinion polling to gauge voting intention in Ukraine. Russia, of course, has been waging a war in eastern Ukraine since 2014. J. Scott Applewhite /Pool/AFP via Getty Images, In 'Servant of the People,' viewers got a glimpse of the future President Zelenskyy, Most Americans don't like Biden's Ukraine response and worry about inflation, Putin's puffy coat and Zelenskyy's T-shirts show the power of fashion in war, Read more here about the study's findings and methodology. The study also found that 71.1% of Ukrainians believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, an increase from the 68.7% in July. 1997-2003 - Actor, performer, script writer, producer of the stand-up comedy contest team . During the Russian war on Ukraine, however, the 44-year-old has matured into a respected statesman. At the most consequential hour in Europe since the collapse of the Soviet Union, as a vengeful and erratic autocrat invades Ukraine alluding darkly to . In the process, Mr. Zelensky has turned into a version of the politician he campaigned against: insular, closed off, surrounded by yes men. Only 28.2% of Ukrainians approve of President Volodymyr Zelensky's performance, .