Jonathan MS Pearce

What do you say to your family when you don’t know if you’ll ever see them again? In February 2022, he told his wife and children the war had begun. Then he left as Russian forces advanced towards Kyiv, unsure what the coming hours would bring. This is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Before politics, he built a successful career in Ukrainian television as a writer, producer and performer, even portraying a president on screen. In 2019, he was elected President of Ukraine. Three years later, Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Sitting down with him was surreal and an enormous responsibility. It was a rare chance to hear his account of the first hours of the war and the decisions that followed. We discussed things like: How he found out Russia had invaded. Why he refused an offer to evacuate Kyiv. The 64km Russian military convoy advancing towards the capital. How Russian forces tried to capture a key airport. His account of discovering hundreds of bodies after Russian occupation. What he believes it will take to end the war. But I also wanted to understand how he’d been coping. One of my first questions was simply, “How are you doing?” His answer was: “It’s hard.” He spoke about meeting parents whose children had been killed. Some, he explained, simply ask him for a hug. And as he spoke, there were tears in his eyes. Whatever your views on the war or the decisions made by those involved, this is a rare opportunity to hear his account of events that have changed millions of lives. Because behind every map, every headline and every political decision, there are real people. Out now on all platforms ❤️👊🏾 (President Zelenskyy was recorded in Ukrainian and dubbed in English.)