Time magazine has chosen Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the spirit of Ukraine as its 2022 Person of the Year.
Many in Ukraine and around the world hold 44-year-old Zelenskyy in high esteem for leading the country through Russia’s unprovoked attacks and making himself a symbol of defiance and democracy.
On Wednesday, December 7, the magazine revealed its pick. Time’s 2022 Person of the Year, journalist Simon Shuster wrote in an essay, “Zelenskyy’s success as a wartime leader has relied on the fact that courage is contagious. It spread through Ukraine’s political leadership in the first days of the invasion, as everyone realised the president had stuck around.”
Zelenskyy stayed in Kyiv after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 to show his support for his country’s citizens. Zelenskyy reportedly told the United States, “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,” on February 26, as relayed in a tweet from the Ukrainian embassy in Britain.
There appears to be no end to the fighting in Ukraine, which has gone on for nearly ten months. Zelenskyy has made dangerous trips to show his support for Ukrainian soldiers and the country as a whole, such as his June visit to the front lines in the Donbas region and his November visit to celebrate with residents of the city of Kherson following the withdrawal of Russian troops.
For reasons including the city’s poor condition after the Russians left and the possible presence of agents and saboteurs, Zelenskyy’s security was advising against his visit to Kherson, he told the magazine. To explain his actions, however, he said, “It’s the people.”
Many Ukrainians now credit Zelenskyy for encouraging them to join the armed resistance against Russia.
A Ukrainian woman named Natasha, 35, said, “Zelenskyy gives me confidence.” “For me, Zelenskyy is the real fighter of democracy worldwide and for the peaceful future of our children and our world.”
Some foreign fighters have been inspired by the president, including Bryan Stern, a veteran of the U.S. Army and Navy, and Connor Kennedy, the grandson of late U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
As president of Ukraine, Zelenskyy has transitioned from his previous careers as an actor and comedian to lead the country since his election in April 2019. After his viral rant against government corruption in the sitcom “Servant of the People,” in which he portrayed a high school teacher, Zelenskyy became a household name in Ukraine. In the show, his character becomes president.
Each year since 1927, the editors of Time have selected a single individual as their choice for Person of the Year to symbolise their impact on the world, as reported in the magazine.
Time’s editors ultimately settled on Zelenskyy after considering ten other candidates. These included President Xi Jinping of China, the United States Supreme Court, Elon Musk, Representative Liz Cheney, MacKenzie Scott, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, demonstrators in Iran, advocates for gun control, and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen.
The magazine named Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and now Twitter, as its Person of the Year for 2021. The previous year, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were chosen as the most influential people for the year 2020.
Time magazine announced on December 6 that in addition to Zelenskyy, Blackpink would be the 2022 Entertainer of the Year, and Aaron Judge would be the 2022 Athlete of the Year.