By Nehitha Jaykumar
TIME Magazine’s person of the year was given to Volodymyr Zelenksy, president of Ukraine.
Zelensky was put into the spotlight shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of this year. He acted quickly and made the best of the situation by giving the Ukrainian people the support they needed and carried out important steps to protect his country. Rather than giving in to the Russians, he courageously encouraged his people to fight for their country. Zelensky was nothing short of a hero to the Ukrainian people; he took to social media providing updates and hope for the people of Ukraine during the days of the invasion.
Rather than hiding from the public during tough times, he was always seen helping and being actively involved in the community, whether that entailed giving speeches, talking to soldiers, or visiting hospitals. He portrayed himself as a humble, down-to-earth leader who listened to everyone’s opinions and concerns. Zelensky managed to quickly rally the Ukrainians and the West to support his efforts.
Zelenksy famously stated, “we did not become slaves, and we never will.” Zelensky was clear from the start that Ukraine would not simply surrender to Russia; they would come to a diplomatic yet fair solution for both sides of the issue. Zelensky’s charismatic personality and determination led him to be adored by the Ukranians and people from all around the world. From acting on television to being elected as president, he quickly became the face of the resistance and the spirit of the Ukrainian people.
He stated, “Because this is our spirit, this is our destiny.” He believes that the strong spirit and patriotism of the Ukranians can beat the Russians, despite them being a much larger nation.
Sometimes it isn’t about how big or powerful a nation is; it is more about the people who make up it. Zeleknsy believed that the Ukranians’s burning passion to defend and protect their country would prevail at the end. This is why the title of the Person of the Year was not given to just Volodymr Zelensky, but also to the Spirit of Ukraine.
Giving the honor of the Person of the Year to one singular person is a very hard thing to do. Finding one person to consolidate an entire year into is a tough decision, but Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have shown courage, determination and unity during this tough time, and there couldn’t be a better representation of how a nation comes together as one during tough times.
