[67999] Seven years of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's presidency: an interim summary saturated with public controversy

Seven years of Zelenskyy's presidency: a legacy of war and political changes

Today, May 20, 2026, Ukraine marks seven years since the inauguration of Volodymyr Zelenskyy as President of the country in 2019. The Ukrainian media summarizes this turbulent period, with the opinions of commentators ranging from support for the President as a symbol of national resistance to sharp criticism regarding the conduct of his administration.

Political assessments and internal criticism

Channels such as Реальна Війна highlight the passage of seven years as a historical milestone. Conversely, critical figures present a more complex picture. Dmytro Chekalkyn, citing Viktor Okulov, claims that Zelenskyy "set a sad record of unfulfilled promises" and criticizes the administration's handling of peace and corruption issues. Similar claims arise from Yuriy Kasyanov, who asserts that "the war has become an unprecedented source of enrichment for the President's inner circle," although he qualifies this by calling for national unity against the enemy.

Public opinion and political technology

Despite the criticism, there are voices pointing to public resilience. According to Новини.LIVE, political technologist Yaroslav Makitra notes that the level of trust in Zelenskyy remains above 60%. Makitra emphasizes that "Zelenskyy faced unprecedented challenges" – from the COVID-19 pandemic to a full-scale war – and that in the event of an election today, he would likely maintain significant support.

Governmental initiatives

Simultaneously with the milestone, the channel UA Stream reported on the President's official activity regarding a historical matter, which includes the beginning of the process for the reburial of the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), Andriy Melnyk, and his wife. Other channels, such as Душная община, adopted a hostile line toward the President, using sharp language and expressing views contrary to the mainstream pro-Ukrainian consensus.