Volodymyr Zelenskyy Biography

Is inaugurated as President of Ukraine.

Announces the dissolution of the eighth Verkhovna Rada during his inaugural address.

Meets parliamentary leaders to discuss dissolving parliament and holding an early election.

Meets European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and confirms Ukraine's European integration course.

Begins his first foreign presidential visit at European Union and NATO institutions in Brussels.

Reaffirms that full European Union and NATO membership remain strategic priorities for Ukraine.

Discusses Russian aggression, prisoners and reforms with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Meets Emmanuel Macron and seeks renewed Normandy-format diplomacy to pursue peace in Donbas.

Meets Angela Merkel and discusses Donbas negotiations, prisoners and European energy security.

His Servant of the People party wins the early parliamentary election.

Welcomes home thirty-five Ukrainians released in a mutual exchange with Russia.

Meets Donald Trump during the United Nations General Assembly and discusses security, energy and reforms.

Meets the leaders of France, Germany and Russia at the first Normandy summit since 2016.

Welcomes seventy-six Ukrainians returning from detention after agreements reached at the Normandy summit.

Addresses the crash of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 and demands a full investigation.

Uses the World Economic Forum to promote investment and renew calls for peace in Donbas.

Addresses the coronavirus emergency and backs national restrictions intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Welcomes another exchange that returns Ukrainians held in the occupied parts of Donbas.

Signs legislation establishing a regulated agricultural land market in Ukraine.

Signs banking legislation designed to prevent former owners from reclaiming insolvent banks.

Welcomes the start of additional ceasefire measures along the Donbas contact line.

Uses the UN General Debate to call for withdrawal of Russian-backed forces and restoration of Ukraine's borders.

Places the proposed Crimea Platform on the international agenda as a mechanism for deoccupation diplomacy.

Initiates a five-question nationwide public poll held alongside local elections.

Enacts National Security and Defense Council sanctions targeting Viktor Medvedchuk and associated interests.

Receives a COVID-19 vaccination while visiting Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region.

Approves Ukraine's Military Security Strategy focused on comprehensive defense and closer NATO cooperation.

Holds his first presidential phone conversation with Joe Biden and discusses security and democratic reform.

Signs legislation defining the rights of indigenous peoples of Ukraine.

Opens the inaugural Crimea Platform summit with delegations from dozens of countries.

Leads national events marking thirty years since Ukraine declared independence.

Meets Joe Biden at the White House and discusses security, reform and Russian aggression.

Warns the UN that occupied Ukrainian territories remain a threat to international law and collective security.

Hosts European Union leaders at the twenty-third EU-Ukraine summit in Kyiv.

Signs the law intended to limit excessive oligarchic influence on politics and public life.

Attends the Eastern Partnership summit and presses European leaders over Russian military pressure.

Addresses Ukrainians after Russia launches its full-scale invasion and pledges national resistance.

Orders general mobilization after Russia begins the full-scale invasion.

Declares martial law after Russia launches its full-scale invasion.

Appears in central Kyiv with senior officials to show that the government remains in the capital.

Signs Ukraine's application for membership of the European Union.

Addresses the European Parliament and urges the European Union to prove that it stands with Ukraine.

Addresses the British Parliament by video and vows that Ukraine will continue resisting Russia.

Addresses Canada's Parliament and appeals for stronger military and economic support.

Addresses the United States Congress by video and appeals for further military assistance.

Addresses the German Bundestag and urges Germany to take stronger action against Russia.

Addresses Israeli lawmakers and appeals for greater support for Ukraine.

Tells Italian lawmakers that isolating Russia economically is essential to ending the invasion.

Addresses French lawmakers and appeals for sanctions, weapons and international solidarity.

Addresses NATO leaders and asks for unrestricted military assistance to defend Ukrainian cities.

Calls on Denmark to tighten sanctions and support the restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Addresses Norway's Parliament and asks for support against Russian aggression and energy coercion.

Asks Dutch lawmakers for weapons, sanctions and support for Ukraine's future inside the European Union.

Addresses Australia's Parliament and requests additional military assistance.

Announces that Ukrainian forces have regained control of the Kyiv region after Russia's withdrawal.

Initiates a special national and international mechanism to investigate crimes committed during the invasion.

Visits Bucha after its liberation and calls international attention to killings of civilians.

Addresses Romania's Parliament after visiting liberated communities around Kyiv.

Addresses Spain's Cortes Generales and seeks weapons and stronger sanctions.

Addresses the United Nations Security Council and demands accountability for atrocities discovered in Bucha.

Urges Ireland to support stronger sanctions and help rebuild Ukraine after Russian attacks.

Addresses Greece's Parliament and discusses the destruction of Ukrainian cities including Mariupol.

Condemns the missile strike on Kramatorsk railway station.

Addresses South Korea's National Assembly and asks for equipment and support against Russian aggression.

Addresses Portugal's Assembly of the Republic and calls for stronger international action.

Announces the start of an evacuation operation for civilians trapped at the Azovstal steelworks.

Joins G7 leaders by video and urges continued defense support and sanctions against Russia.

Welcomes United States Lend-Lease legislation intended to accelerate support for Ukraine.

Addresses the World Economic Forum and calls for sanctions, reconstruction support and investment in Ukraine.

Addresses European Council leaders and urges unity on sanctions and support for Ukraine.

Welcomes the European Council decision granting Ukraine candidate status for European Union membership.

Addresses G7 leaders meeting in Germany and asks for security guarantees and additional weapons.

Addresses the Ukraine Recovery Conference and outlines principles for rebuilding the country.

Announces Ukrainian advances as Balakliia is retaken during the Kharkiv counteroffensive.

Welcomes the recapture of Izium as Russian forces retreat during Ukraine's Kharkiv counteroffensive.

Visits liberated Izium after Ukrainian forces retake the city.

Presents five conditions for peace, including punishment for aggression, protection of life and restoration of territorial integrity.

Signs Ukraine's request for accelerated accession to NATO.

Welcomes the liberation of Kherson after Russian forces withdraw west of the Dnipro.

Visits Kherson days after its liberation and praises Ukrainian defenders.

Addresses the G20 summit and presents a ten-point Ukrainian Peace Formula.

Visits Washington and addresses the United States Congress during his first wartime trip abroad.

Hosts European Union leaders for a summit focused on accession reforms and wartime support.

Addresses the British Parliament during a European diplomatic tour.

Meets Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz during a European tour seeking heavier weapons and aircraft.

Meets European Union leaders and presses for fighter aircraft, air defense and artillery.

Addresses a special session of the European Parliament and links Ukraine's defense to European freedom.

Welcomes the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin.

Visits Poland and thanks its leaders and people for extensive support to Ukraine.

Meets Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and discusses military assistance and Ukraine's peace formula.

Meets Pope Francis and discusses the humanitarian consequences of Russia's invasion.

Accepts the Charlemagne Prize on behalf of the Ukrainian people for defending European values.

Meets Emmanuel Macron to discuss air defense, armored vehicles and support for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Meets German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as Germany announces additional military support.

Meets Rishi Sunak and discusses long-range weapons and a coalition to provide modern fighter aircraft.

Addresses the Arab League summit and seeks wider support for Ukraine's peace formula.

Attends the G7 summit in Hiroshima to seek further international support for Ukraine.

Attends the European Political Community summit in Moldova and discusses security support for Ukraine.

Condemns the destruction of the Kakhovka dam as flooding spreads through southern Ukraine.

Presses NATO allies for a clearer path toward Ukrainian membership and stronger security guarantees.

Meets Joe Biden and discusses battlefield developments and long-term defense cooperation.

Confirms with Mark Rutte that training for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 aircraft will begin.

Participates in the inaugural NATO-Ukraine Council meeting at the Vilnius summit.

Welcomes the Netherlands' commitment to transfer F-16 fighter aircraft to Ukraine after training conditions are met.

Addresses the United Nations General Assembly in person and urges countries to oppose Russian aggression.

Confirms that Ukraine has used United States-supplied ATACMS missiles.

Welcomes the European Council decision to open European Union accession negotiations with Ukraine.

Signs a long-term security cooperation agreement with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Replaces Valerii Zaluzhnyi with Oleksandr Syrskyi as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Concludes a ten-year accord with Emmanuel Macron providing sustained military, political, financial and humanitarian cooperation.

Agrees with Olaf Scholz on ten years of defense support, emergency consultations and cooperation toward Euro-Atlantic integration.

Appeals for faster weapons deliveries and advances Ukraine's case for NATO membership.

Establishes a long-term strategic security partnership with Justin Trudeau covering defense, resilience and reconstruction support.

Concludes a ten-year pact with Giorgia Meloni covering military assistance, reconstruction and consultations after future aggression.

Attends the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit and seeks regional support for defense and the peace formula.

Meets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discusses defense, shipping and possible peace diplomacy.

Signs legislation intended to strengthen mobilization for Ukraine's armed forces.

Formalizes Spanish military and reconstruction support with Pedro Sanchez during a visit to Madrid.

Secures Belgian long-term defense assistance with Alexander De Croo, including cooperation on combat aviation capabilities.

Agrees with Luis Montenegro on sustained military cooperation, reconstruction support and Ukraine's European integration.

Formalizes long-term Swedish assistance with Ulf Kristersson, strengthening weapons support, training and defense-industrial cooperation.

Signs an accord with Fumio Kishida covering security assistance, sanctions coordination, recovery and reconstruction.

Signs a bilateral security agreement with United States President Joe Biden.

Attends the Switzerland peace summit and urges international backing for Ukraine's peace formula.

Welcomes the formal opening of Ukraine's accession negotiations with the European Union.

Participates in the NATO summit and presses allies for air defense, weapons and an irreversible membership path.

Says Ukrainian forces control about one thousand square kilometres in Russia's Kursk region.

Presents a five-point Victory Plan to the Verkhovna Rada.

Meets Donald Trump in a tense Oval Office exchange over the war and proposed minerals agreement.

Meets Donald Trump before Pope Francis's funeral and discusses efforts to end the war.

Welcomes the signing of a United States-Ukraine minerals and reconstruction investment agreement.

Meets Recep Tayyip Erdogan while seeking direct leader-level talks and a ceasefire with Russia.

Proposes a ceasefire lasting until a direct meeting with Vladimir Putin can be arranged.

Meets Donald Trump during the NATO summit and discusses air defense, weapons and diplomacy.

Meets Donald Trump and European leaders to discuss security guarantees and possible direct talks with Russia.

Says Ukraine will share a revised twenty-point peace plan with the United States after talks with European leaders.

Marks four years since Russia's full-scale invasion and calls for sustained international support.

Visits the damaged Kyiv Pechersk Lavra after a Russian strike and condemns the attack on Ukrainian heritage.

Warns that continued Russian strikes will bring intensified Ukrainian retaliation against Moscow.