Volodymyr Zelensky and 'the spirit of Ukraine' named 2022 Time Person of the Year

The 2022 Time Person of the Year has been unveiled.

The magazine on Wednesday selected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky "and the spirit of Ukraine" as Person of the Year. He was one of 10 finalists, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Supreme Court, billionaire Elon Musk, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.), philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, protesters in Iran, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), gun safety advocates, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

But Zelensky seemed like the natural pick after he rose to global prominence this year while defending his country against Russia's ongoing invasion, drawing international praise. Time's Person of the Year recognizes the person or persons "who most affected the news and our lives, for good or ill" over the past year — and for the magazine, settling on Zelensky wasn't difficult.

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"This year's choice was the most clear-cut in memory," Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote, adding that Zelensky "galvanized the world in a way we haven't seen in decades." Felsenthal also recognized the "spirit of Ukraine," which was "embodied by countless individuals inside and outside the country."

The previous Time Person of the Year was Elon Musk, who became the richest person on Earth in 2021. The year of the 2020 election, President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were both named Person of the Year, and before that, the title went to Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.