Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska have been praised for their compasion, kindness and stalwart resistance in the face of Russian aggression.
Despite his lack of traditional political experience, the former comedian has earned the respect of world leaders thanks to his impassioned speeches and unfaltering commitment to the war effort. His wife, Olena, has been by his side as the pair refused to leave Kyiv as the invasion began. And those who know the couple paint a picture of a compassionate and kind couple, who put their people first.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the Ukrainian president for his remarkable leadership. In July this year, Boris presented Zelensky with a prestigious medal known as the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award of the International Churchill Society.
During the virtual awards ceremony, Boris commended Zelensky for remaining in Kyiv, just as Churchill had stayed in London during the 1940 Blitz.
Speaking at the ceremony, Boris said: "It was at 4 o'clock on the morning of February 24 2022 that you called me, Volodymyr, to say that the incredible had happened, that insanity had broken out, and Russian tanks were surging across the frontier of a sovereign independent country in Europe and cruise missiles were exploding all over Ukraine.
"And in that moment of supreme crisis, you faced a test of leadership that was, in its way, as severe as Churchill's challenge in 1940.
"As the Russians launched their lightning assault on Kyiv, you knew that you were at the top of their target list, and you knew that squads of killers were hunting for you.
"And you could have left Kyiv, you could have said – and it would have been hard to contradict you – that the survival of the Ukrainian state required the survival of the president.
"But of course, Volodymyr, you did none of those things: you chose to stay in Kyiv, among the Ukrainian people, just as Churchill stayed in London in 1940."
The president's kindness and compassion has been evident in his speeches - not only in his commitment to his own people, but in his care for Russians too. He has expressed concern that Putin is "throwing Russian soldiers like logs into a train's furnace". His compassion for his enemies has been broadly lauded.
While comedian Volodymyr has been continually praised for his "good humour", his wife Olena, insists she's made of very different stuff. "My husband is always on the forefront. I am not the life of the party. I do not like to tell jokes," she says, adding that she actively did not agree with her husband's desire to become president.
But while it wasn't a life she sought out, it has become one in which she has inspired the world. Her friend, Kyiv-based chef and food campaigner, Ievgen Klopotenko, describes her as "very shy", but aides close to the couple have described her as the best partner for [Volodymyr] in every sense - being smart, and very kind. Something which was evident when she flew to the UK in September to meet the Princess of Wales and offer support as the royal family mourned the Queen.
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