President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is doing everything in his power to protect Ukraine. As the nation continues to reach the headlines worldwide, people are getting curious about the key figures involved, one of which is the president’s wife, Olena Zelenska. So, what kind of person is the First Lady of Ukraine?
Background
Zelenska was born on February 6, 1978, with the legal name Olena Kiyashko. Her birthplace is Kryvyi Rih, the biggest city in central Ukraine. This is also the same region her eventual husband was born.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in architecture from Kryvyi Rih National University’s Faculty of Civil Engineering. It was in college where she met Volodymyr. At the time, he was an aspiring comic and law student.
Olena went on to work as a writer for Kvarta l95, a comedy ensemble that helped Zelensky gain popularity. They were together for years before marrying. Before Volodymyr went into politics, Olena supported his career in the entertainment world.
Writing Career
She is a founding member of Studio Kvartal 95, along with Zelenskyy. It is one of Ukraine’s most prolific producers of show ventures, amusing programs, films, and television series.
As a rising talent, Zelenska also joined a different author’s club and contributed to Studi Kvartal 95. They worked on the Liga Smichu project, which is one of Ukraine’s funniest programs.
The 44-year-old screenwriter and TV personality wrote the comedic flick How the Cossacks…. in 2009. She’s also the producer of the Women’s Kvartal Social Initiatives.
Being the First Lady
On May 20, 2019, Zelenska was inaugurated as The First Lady of Ukraine. In the same year, she was featured on the cover of Vogue Ukraine on November 18. She discussed her first endeavor, nutrition reform in Ukrainian schools.
The restructuring of the school nutrition system began with the creation of a new school menu. The reform is a multi-faceted initiative that includes everything from increasing food quality, health, and safety to providing resources to schools.
She is an advocate for women’s rights. Olena initiated Ukraine’s membership in the Biarritz Partnership, a G7 worldwide movement on gender equality. She has stood for the Ukrainian Women’s Congress. In June 2020, she also launched a project to promote Ukrainian as a world language.
During the War
Olena Zelenska has decided to stay in Ukraine with her husband, who continues to inspire the Ukrainian people. Zelensky and his family have valiantly remained in the capital Kyiv.
She is active on social media, telling her people that she is proud of them. She has worked relentlessly to make Ukraine a better place, and she continues to do so even in these trying times.
Personal Life
Volodymyr and Olena dated for eight years before marrying on September 6, 2003. Oleksandra is the name of their daughter, who was born on July 15, 2004. Zelenska gave birth to their second child Kyrylo, a boy, on January 21, 2013.
Initially, she was resistant to her husband’s political ambitions. On December 31, 2018, Zelensky surprisingly announced his candidacy for president. Many of their countrymen supported him, but not Olena. But she eventually changed her mind.
