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

Volodymyr Zelensky
(Image credit: Laurent Van der Stockt for Le Monde/Getty Images)

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.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

"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.

To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.