As a result of Ukraine’s defiance of Russia’s invasion, Time magazine named President Volodymyr Zelensky and “the spirit of Ukraine” as its 2022 Person of the Year on Wednesday. Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal described Zelensky’s choice to stay in Kyiv and unify his nation despite the ongoing war as “fateful,” adding that this year’s choice was “the most clear-cut in memory.”
Zelensky has given daily speeches since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. These speeches have been watched by people and governments all over the world in addition to Ukrainians. He has appeared on the frontlines and recently celebrated in the streets of Kherson when Ukraine pushed Russia from the critical southern city.
“His information offensive shifted the geopolitical weather system, setting off a wave of action that swept the globe,” Felsenthal wrote in announcing the winner. “Whether the battle for Ukraine fills one with hope or with fear, Volodymyr Zelensky galvanized the world in a way we haven’t seen in decades,” Felsenthal added.
Time debuted the Person of the Year award in 1927
Zelensky and “the spirit of Ukraine,” which Felsenthal claimed was personified by the “countless individuals inside and beyond the country” who fought covertly, including regular people like chefs and surgeons, share the 2022 title.
In 1927, Time debuted the Person of the Year award. Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, was honored the previous year. Since then, he has garnered a lot of attention for his high-profile acquisition of Twitter.