One Year of Zelensky’s Presidency: One Step Forward, One Step Back
The election of Volodymyr Zelensky as president of Ukraine created very high expectations in the society.
He built his campaign narrative around three central messages: peace in Donbas, the curtailment of corruption and the end of poverty. The hope that he could deliver on his promises was strengthened with the victory of his party (Servant of the People) in the snap parliamentary elections in summer 2019. It is the first time in the history of independent Ukraine that a single party has a majority in parliament. Therefore, President Zelensky enjoys unprecedented conditions, and, while he still has four years in office, the one-year anniversary is the right moment to make the first assessment.
Leonid Litra is a Senior Research Fellow at the New Europe Center in Kyiv (Ukraine).
Alyona Getmanchuk is Director of the New Europe Center.
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One Year of Zelensky’s Presidency: One Step Forward, One Step Back
Russia/Eurasia Center
Founded in 2005 within Ifri, the Russia/Eurasia Center conducts research and organizes debates on Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. Its goal is to understand and anticipate the evolution of this complex and rapidly changing geographical area in order to enrich public discourse in France and Europe and to assist in strategic, political, and economic decision-making.
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