Who is Olena Zelenska? The First Lady of Ukraine is an unexpected global voice

In scenes which could be anywhere across Britain, two women hang Christmas decorations on a tree. Except these women are partners of two of the most high profile men in world politics, and the tree in question is situated outside Number 10 Downing Street.

Olena Zelenska, the wife of Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, has visited London to discuss how sexual violence is being ‘systematically and openly’ used as a weapon of conflict as the war in Ukraine continues.

Akshata Murty, the wife of Rishi Sunak, the UK’s current Prime Minister, met Olena at Downing Street.

“Sexual violence is the most cruel, most animalistic way to prove mastership over someone. And for victims of this kind of violence, it is difficult to testify in war times because nobody feels safe”, said Olena at an international conference in London earlier in the day on Monday 28th November 2022.

“We see that the Russian servicemen are very open about this: they talk about it over the phone with their relatives, from phone conversations we’ve managed to capture. In fact, the wives of Russian servicemen encourage this, they say, ‘Go on, rape those Ukrainian women, just don’t share this with me, just don’t tell me’.

“This is why there has to be a global response to this.”

What is Olena’s background and how did she end up discussing the violence of war on a world stage?

Olena was born in the same town of Kryvyi Rih, southeast Ukraine, as her future husband. They even went to the same high school, although they didn’t speak to each other. They only became acquainted much later during their time at university. Olena studied architecture and Volodymyr studied law at Kryvyi Rih National University.

Their courtship began when the comedian-turned-president approached his future wife while she was carrying a copy of the 1990s Hollywood hit Basic Instinct.

In his book ‘Zelensky’, author and journalist Steven Derix writes that Mr Zelensky asked if he could borrow the Sharon Stone film. He pretended not to have seen it when he is said to have watched the racy movie ‘at least 15 times’ before.

But the request gave him a window to ask for her phone number, beginning a bond that has survived decades, and more recently the deadly invasion of their country by Russia.

In a Vogue interview, Ms Zelenska mused on what initially formed a connection between them, concluding that it was humour that built a ‘mutual chemistry’.

“My jokes don’t always go over well with her,” the president chimed. “She is a very good editor.”

In 2003, Olena became a scriptwriter for Kvartal 95, working as part of the team drafting comedy sketches that her future husband and other cast members would perform.

The pair would go on to marry in 2003 and they welcomed a daughter, Oleksandra in 2004 and a son, Kyrylo in 2013.

Zelenska went on to work as a comedy writer on the now-infamous 2015 political satire comedy show, Servant of the People, in which he - fittingly - played the President of Ukraine.

Whether she was attracted to her husband’s on-screen statesmanship or not, Zelenska has made it clear she always preferred life out of the spotlight, later telling press she preferred to be ‘backstage’ and does not like to tell jokes or be the life of the party.

This is reflected in her choice of career as a scriptwriter, staying behind the camera. She moved away from architecture and has instead continued a profession of screenwriting, combining state business with part-time work for Ukrainian production company Studio Quarter 95.

Zelensky ran for president when his youngest child was six years old. His wife was strongly against it at first. "Frankly speaking, I aggressively opposed the start of this project," she once told reporters. "Because this is a very difficult move; it's not even a project, it's another direction in life."

Despite not having any political background or party affiliation, Zelensky went on to win the 2019 election, beating incumbent Petro Poroshenko with more than 73 per cent of votes.

Olena has stepped into her new position in the spotlight dutifully and with grace. And is now using her global platform to fight for Ukraine’s freedom and highlight atrocities such as sexual violence.

She’s also become something of a fashion icon and wears outfits by Ukrainian designers.

"I am pleased when they ask me in New York or Paris who is the designer of my outfit. And they do ask me," she told Vogue.

"And it wouldn't be as exciting to name a major western brand, which they already know there, but how nice it is to promote Ukrainian designers to the world."

A champion of Ukraine to her last, Olena knows the role she is expected to carry out and boy is she delivering.

In July, she flew to Washington DC to give an impassioned speech to Congress where she received a standing ovation. Speaking in Ukrainian, which was translated, she thanked the US for its support but pleaded for more weapons. “I’m asking for weapons, weapons that would not be used to wage a war on somebody else’s land but to protect one’s home and the right to wake up alive in that home,” she said. “I’m asking for air defence systems in order for rockets not to kill children in their strollers, in order for rockets not to destroy children’s rooms, and kill entire families.”

Olena may not want the spotlight, but she’s maximising her position for the good of Ukraine.