Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with ”the spirit of Ukraine,” is TIME’s “Person of the Year” for 2022, a choice TIME called “the most clear-cut in memory.”
The “Person of the Year” was given to the Ukrainian president “for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear, for stirring people and nations to come together in defense of freedom, for reminding the world of the fragility of democracy — and of peace.”
TIME's 2022 Person of the Year: Volodymyr Zelensky and the spirit of Ukraine #TIMEPOY https://t.co/06Y5fuc0fG pic.twitter.com/i8ZT3d5GDa
— TIME (@TIME) December 7, 2022
TIME notes the invasion of Ukraine has gone on for more than 260 days. The magazine writes:
“Zelensky’s success as a wartime leader has relied on the fact that courage is contagious. It spread through Ukraine’s political leadership in the first days of the invasion, as everyone realized the President had stuck around. If that seems like a natural thing for a leader to do in a crisis, consider historical precedent.”
It later added: “But his vision of victory now extends beyond the liberation of territory. In our interview on the way back from Kherson, Zelensky stressed that this year’s invasion is just the latest Russian attempt over the past century to subjugate Ukraine. His intention is to make it the last, even if it takes a lot more time and sacrifice. It is far too early to gauge whether that goal can be reached …”
Volodymyr Zelensky’s success as a wartime leader has relied on the fact that courage is contagious.
— TIME (@TIME) December 7, 2022
TIME's 2022 Person of the Year is Volodymyr Zelensky and the spirit of Ukraine #TIMEPOY https://t.co/IDCRGp6YG0 pic.twitter.com/DYiV41YduT
Zelenskyy shared, “Later we will be judged,” adding, “I have not finished this great, important action for our country. Not yet.”
Among TIME’s other choices included “the women of Iran” as “Heroes of the year,” the girl group BLACKPINK as the Entertainer of the year, actress Michelle Yeoh as “Icon of the year,” Gregory Robinson and the James Webb Telescope as “Innovator of the year,” professional baseball outfielder Aaron Judge as “Athlete of the year.”
Volodymyr Zelensky and the spirit of Ukraine is TIME's 2022 Person of the Year https://t.co/RKSKKnaI7b pic.twitter.com/xFfkV1MUmB
— TIME (@TIME) December 7, 2022
The Women of Iran are TIME's 2022 Heroes of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/fJiO0syNgb pic.twitter.com/rdFAguGt92
— TIME (@TIME) December 7, 2022
TIME's 2022 Innovator of the Year: Gregory Robinson and the James Webb Telescope #TIMEPOY https://t.co/B3Liw1aVZ4 pic.twitter.com/pNyqif4sIS
— TIME (@TIME) December 7, 2022
While Zelenskyy snagged this year’s title of “Person of the Year,” others who were on the shortlist included: Elon Musk, Chinese President Xi Jinping, the U.S. Supreme Court, outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), MacKenzie Scott, protesters in Iran, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), U.S. Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen, and gun safety advocates.