Seven years under Zelenskyy The realities of Ukraine

April 21 marks seven years since Volodymyr Zelenskyy—an actor, producer, and showman—won victory in Ukraine’s presidential election.

It is safe to say that if, back then, anyone had told Ukrainian politicians or journalists that Zelenskyy’s originally five-year presidential term would stretch this long, no one would have believed it. Yet life often brings its own—sometimes shocking—adjustments to the plans of not only individuals, but entire nations.

Many have likely forgotten that Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially announced his candidacy for the presidency of Ukraine on the night of January 1, 2019. The statement was broadcast on the “1+1” TV channel just minutes before the New Year and effectively replaced the traditional holiday address of the then-incumbent president, Petro Poroshenko.

This fact may come as a shock to those unfamiliar with Ukrainian realities, where the line between permissiveness and freedom of speech is so thin that it can sometimes be impossible to define. Moreover, since the era of Leonid Kuchma, oligarchs have wielded enormous influence in the country, often acting as the power brokers behind many of the most significant—and at times tragic—events in Ukraine’s modern history.

Notably, the “1+1” TV channel is owned by oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, who is widely believed to have played a key role in preparing the Ukrainian public for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s presidential ambitions. This was largely achieved through the broadcast of the television series Servant of the People, in which the future head of state portrayed a history teacher, Vasyl Holoborodko. The show’s slogan—“The story of the next president”—was a clear indication of its intent. In other words, the series was carefully crafted as a tool to present Zelenskyy to Ukrainian society as a future presidential candidate. These seeds fell on particularly fertile ground, shaped by a widespread readiness among many Ukrainians to “vote for fun.”

That election was held in two rounds. In the first round, on March 31, Volodymyr Zelenskyy received 30.24 per cent of the vote, while Petro Poroshenko secured 15.95 per cent. Since none of the candidates reached the 50 per cent threshold, a second round was scheduled. Notably, Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of the Batkivshchyna party, also took part in the election and has since once again faced corruption allegations.

Another presidential candidate at the time was Yuriy Boyko, a close associate of former president Viktor Yanukovych, who later fled to Russia. Boyko, widely regarded as a pro-Russian politician, visited Russia just days before the first round, where he met with then–Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Officially, the meeting focused on the state of bilateral trade and economic relations, including the gas sector; however, it is widely believed that the trip was intended to receive guidance from Moscow.

At the time, the Security Service of Ukraine initiated an investigation into the legality of Yuriy Boyko’s visit to Russia. However, to this day, he continues to sit in the Verkhovna Rada, heading the parliamentary group “Platform for Life and Peace,” formed from former members of the banned party Opposition Platform – For Life, whose activities were officially prohibited on June 20, 2022, by the Lviv Administrative Court of Appeal.

In the second round of the election, victory went to Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who received over 73 per cent of the vote, while Petro Poroshenko secured less than 25 per cent.

It was a conscious, democratic, and fair choice made by the majority of Ukrainian voters, likely influenced by the public debate between Poroshenko and Zelenskyy held on April 19, 2019, at Kyiv’s Olimpiyskiy National Sports Complex. Reading from a sheet of paper, Zelenskyy accused his opponent of corruption, questioned the involvement of his entourage in embezzlement, and delivered the now-famous line: “How do you sleep at night, Mr. President?”—a phrase that became a symbol of his moral challenge.

And do you know what the paradox of history is? That today, Ukrainians are asking similar questions of Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself. We all remember how the corruption scandal within Ukraine’s Defence Ministry made headlines worldwide when it was headed by Oleksii Reznikov. Even greater public resonance was sparked by the notorious case involving Timur Mindich, co-owner of the company Kvartal 95 Studio and a member of Zelenskyy’s close circle.

This case has been described by investigators as evidence of corruption on a massive scale within Ukraine’s energy system. However, Mindich has never stood trial, having left the country at a very opportune moment—much like other figures in the case, such as the brothers Mykhailo and Oleksandr Zuckerman.

However, Volodymyr Zelenskyy—who once promised to end the war and step down if he failed to do so—remains firmly in the presidential seat and, according to a number of media reports, is considering running again in future elections. This is despite the fact that he and his team had previously downplayed the likelihood of a full-scale Russian–Ukrainian war, even as the United States, United Kingdom, and other allies of Kyiv were sounding the alarm and warning that such a scenario was increasingly inevitable.

In conclusion, I would like to share a brief recollection from the 2019 elections. At the time, many Ukrainians I spoke with explained their willingness to support Zelenskyy with a simple phrase: “At least we’ll have a laugh.” Today, however, it is clear that, under current circumstances, there is little for Ukrainian citizens to laugh about.