Trials of war make our love stronger, say Mr and Mrs Zelensky
Ukraine’s first family have been apart for much of the past five months but are putting on a united front
PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelensky says the war in Ukraine has only made his marriage stronger, despite long periods of separation from his wife Olena.
Mr Zelensky, 44, and Ms Zelenska have opened up about their family’s forced separation in a series of interviews carried out at the heavily fortified presidential palace in Kyiv.
Mr Zelensky described Ms Zelenska, whom he met 26 years ago at school, as his “best friend”.
“Of course she is my love. But she is my greatest friend,” he told Vogue magazine. “Olena really is my best friend. She is also a patriot and she deeply loves Ukraine.”
In an interview with Piers Morgan, he addressed his wife directly: “When you are talking, your opinion has priority. What I would say is I don’t have any other experience. I’ve got only one wife and I am happy.
“I have one wife, one love and one family. I never got any feeling there was anything wrong with us or in our relationship. Or maybe do you feel unhappy with me sometimes?”
He added: “The war is making our relationship stronger, that’s for sure.”
“We are managing?” said Ms Zelenska. “Yes, but managing is not the right word. We are in love with each other,” Mr Zelensky replied.
Ms Zelenska, 44, revealed that her husband has been unable to see their two children since the start of the war with Russia more than five months ago because of safety concerns.
She, her daughter Oleksandra, 18, and son Kyrylo, nine, were sent away to an undisclosed location for their own safety.
“He’s having a much harder time in this regard,” Ms Zelenska told Vogue. “He suffers. And then my kids do, too, because they can’t see each other.”
After spending several months in hiding, Ms Zelenska emerged in early May to take a more active role in the war effort by meeting visiting dignitaries, attending public events and giving interviews to boost morale in the wartorn country.
When the interview took place, the first lady had just returned from a trip to Washington DC to plead with the US Congress to provide Ukraine with more weapons to fight the war.
Her increased presence in this field is becoming ever more critical, as international attention wanes and war-related fuel prices climb even higher.
But Mr Zelensky and his wife were forthright about the distinction between economic struggles and the existential threat their country is facing.
“I will be very honest and maybe not very diplomatic: Gas is nothing,” Mr Zelensky told Vogue. “Covid, even Covid is nothing when you compare it
‘She is stronger than she thought. And any war is bound to bring out qualities you never expected to have’
to what’s going on in Ukraine. Just try to imagine what I’m talking about happening to your home, to your country. Would you still be thinking about gas prices or electricity prices?”
The first lady said the past five months had been the worst of every Ukrainian’s life. “Frankly I don’t think anyone is aware of how we have managed emotionally,” she said.
“Probably she is stronger than she thought she was,” Mr Zelensky said.
“And this war – well, any war is probably bound to bring out qualities you never expected to have.”
The first family have gained widespread support in Ukraine, though some question whether Mr Zelensky, a former comedian, is as effective as his supporters suggest. He has also been criticised for bringing many of his former colleagues and friends from television into his cabinet.
Although Mr Zelensky has recently fired a friend who he had made head of Ukraine’s security services, the rest of his team have organised a successful public image around the president and the now more emotional messaging coming from his wife.
Most on the streets of Ukraine have positive things to say about the family. “They look like they really love each other. You can feel it,” said one woman stopped by Vogue on the streets of Kyiv.
Mr Zelensky also told Vogue he has been “worried sick” about his family. “I’ve been missing them, I’ve wanted to hug them so much. I’ve wanted to be able to touch them,” he said.
“I didn’t want them to be put in danger. It’s not about romance. It’s about horrors that were happening here in Kyiv’s outskirts and all those horrors that are happening now in our country, in occupied territories.”
As Oleksandra prepares for university, son Kyrylo wants to be a soldier.
“As a father, I would be proud if my son became a soldier, I can provide the support for him,” Mr Zelensky said.
“I know he is wearing military-style clothing. He’s got quite a lot of weapons, not the kind of weapons we’ve got from our partners. He’s ready to protect his mother and our family.”