Second year in a row: Zelensky makes it to Politico Europe’s Most Influential People list

Recently, the American publication Politico released a new ranking of the most influential people in Europe, and they named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the Dreamer of the Year.

According to Politico, Zelensky inspired Ukrainians to fight and encouraged Western partners to provide Ukraine with effective financial and military assistance, Rubryka reports.

In the article, they compared the Ukrainian leader to Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, and other political figures who have the ability to change the course of history "not through the might of their army or the strength of their economy, but through the power of their words."

"Winston Churchill. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Every once in a while, a leader comes along and single-handedly changes the course of history, not through the might of their army or the strength of their economy, but through the power of their words. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is such a leader," said the article.

Politico reports that Zelensky's leadership was so effective that he achieved what was previously unthinkable, including bringing Ukraine closer to EU membership and joining NATO.

His rhetorical calls also yielded important results in the form of financial aid and a significant amount of Western weaponry — from tanks to fighter jets — provided to Ukraine by its partners.

However, the article notes that 2024 will be a challenging year for Zelensky for several reasons:

• The world is preoccupied with the war in the Middle East.
• Ukrainians are tired of battles with occupiers and the struggle to reclaim their territories.
• EU politicians are beginning to fear negative impacts on their profits and the EU budget due to the situation in the agricultural product market.

Politico identified winners in the categories of "Doyers," "Disruptors," and "Dreamers," with nine people in each category. In total, 28 people made it to the ranking of the most influential people in Europe, according to Politico, including 17 men and 11 women.

According to the publication, the most influential person in Europe is Donald Tusk, the former Prime Minister and former President of the European Council, who returned as the leader of the centrist opposition.

Other influential people in Europe were divided into the aforementioned categories

The "Doers" category, led by the Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni, included nine people.

The "Dreamers" category, headed by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, also had nine figures.

The leader among the "Disrupters" was the head of the Central Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina. She was referred to as the chief technocrat supporting the military machine of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Time magazine named Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the "spirit of Ukraine" as the "Person of the Year."

Politico recognized President Zelensky as the most influential person in Europe last year. Alongside him, the ranking included other politicians, educators, climatologists, diplomats, and economists.