Volodymyr Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978), also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy, is a Ukrainian politician and former comedian and actor who has served as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019. During his presidential campaign, Zelenskyy promised to end Ukraine's protracted conflict with Russia. His administration faced an escalation of tensions with Russia in 2021, culminating in the launch of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Zelenskyy leadership during the crisis has won him widespread international praise, and he has been described as a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance.