Zelensky - Steven Derix

Zelenskyis the first major biography of Ukraine's leader written for a Western audience.

Told with flair and authority, it is the gripping story of oneof the most admiredleaders in the world.

Action-packed biography of Ukraine's comedian-turned-President

Millions who have admired Volodymyr Zelensky's defiance during Russia's invasion of Ukraine will learn much from this up-to-date biography of the Ukrainian President.

Zelensky's life to date has been packed with drama and action.

By the age of 20, the Jewish boy from the provincialtown of Kryvyi Rih had become a star of the stage.

• At 30, he headed a multimillion-dollar TV company.

• At 40, he played a history teacher who became President in a TVseries.

• Then he launched a real-life political party, won a landslide victory and became Ukraine's real President.

• When Russian troops invaded, Zelensky refused Western offers to leave Kyiv. He has marshalled Ukraine's resistanceand successfully obtained Western missile systems and anti-tank weapons.

Zelensky said: 'If I am elected, they will first sling mud at me.Then they will learn to respect me. And finally cry whenI leave.'

Zelenskyis written by a long-standing Russia and Ukraine reporter and a Russian- and Ukrainian speaking researcher.It's a pithy biography of Zelensky for anyone who wantsto understand Ukraine's charismatic head of state, hiscomplex country, and its vexed relationship with Russia.

Covering Zelensky's life from his childhood to the Ukrainian presidency, Zelensky deals with his background in a Russian-speaking region of Ukraine, his early career in TV taking part in KVN talent competitions, and his rise through the Ukrainian and Russian television industry.

Then it deals with Zelensky's breakthrough moment inthe TV seriesServant of the Peopleplaying a teacher who dreams of reforming Ukraine and ending its corruption.

Elected President in real life, Zelensky's doggedness, speeches and strategy helpUkraine resista superpower - a fight that most analysts assume Russia will quickly win. But they do not.

Zelensky and his country become symbols of defiance against Vladimir Putin's aggression.Zelensky: A Biography of Ukraine's War Leaderis both an uplifting story and an urgent message from Ukraine.

About the authors

STEVEN DERIX is a journalist at the Dutch newspaperNRC.From 2014 to 2020 he was NRC correspondent for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

MARINA SHELKUNOVA studied journalism and was a researcher and coordinator forNRCandDe Standaard.

Extract

In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was elected as the sixthPresident of Ukraine, with nearly three-quarters of the vote.

One month later, the Russian President attended the WorldEconomic Forum in St. Petersburg. It had been five years sinceRussia's annexation of Crimea but daily skirmishes betweenthe Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists were stillcommonplace in eastern Ukraine.

'Why did you not congratulate Volodymyr Zelenksy when hebecame President?' asked the interviewer.

Putin breathed a heavy sigh. The Russian officials and businessmagnates in the room playfully nudged one another: this wasgoing to be good...

Putin gave the enormous hall an almost pitying look and waited until the sniggering had died down... 'Listen, I do not knowthis man. I hope that we can meet one day. As far as I can tell,he's amazing at what he does, he's a marvellous actor.'

Putin continued: 'But seriously: it's one thing to play a person, but quite another thing to be that person.'

Laughter and generous applause filled the room.

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