First Lady of Ukraine on husband's emotional state and their shared dream – photo
In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska discussed the war's impact on her children, her approach to expressing emotions privately, the frequency of her meetings with her husband, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. and the methods he employs to cope with emotional stress.
Source: Piers Morgan Uncensored YouTube channel
Zelenska notes that two years of war have significantly impacted the daily lives of her children, 19-year-old Oleksandra and 10-year-old Kyrylo.
Quote: "We try to maintain as normal a life as possible. Our children are studying, my daughter is now a second-year university student, she has friends; my son attends school. But, of course, it's difficult when you can't plan anything for your children," she said.
"My son keeps asking, and it's really difficult to explain to all children: when will the war end? There's no answer to that. It's tough. But we're fortunate that our son can go to school. And there's a bomb shelter at his school. Unfortunately, not all schools in Ukraine have such shelters. Our emergency services do not allow schools without shelters to operate. And almost a third of the children are studying online..." shared Zelenska.
Morgan asked about how often Volodymyr Zelenskyy spends time with the family.
Quote: "Approximately once a week, he can meet with the children for a few hours. Sometimes less often, if there are any foreign trips or visits from abroad. I can see my husband more often, particularly in the presidential office, as I have my own office there. Sometimes, I can call him, and if he's not too busy, we can meet. ... But not often, only if there is a coincidence in our schedules. He has time to talk to me, but I don't, and vice versa. Yesterday, for example, we couldn't reach each other at all. He called me three times, but I was in meetings, then I started calling him, but he was busy. It's like we have parallel lives. But it's okay," the First Lady said.
Zelenska also shared an interesting fact from the life of her 19-year-old daughter, Oleksandra. It turns out her boyfriend is from Mariupol.
"My daughter and her boyfriend went to the cinema for the premiere of this film (the 20 Days in Mariupol documentary – ed.). And her boyfriend, he's from Mariupol, and he and his parents had the opportunity to stay in the basements for a few weeks before leaving. He personally saw the bodies of killed neighbours. I asked my daughter later about the film. She said she cried. So, I inquired about the boy. He cried, too. Just like other people in the hall. In such moments, it's very difficult. But sometimes you just need to cry, let the emotions out," said Zelenska.
Zelenska revealed that she and her husband share a common dream: "To have enough time to be with each other, without the need to rush anywhere, without planning anything. That is our dream now. Just to be together," she added.
The interviewer also inquired whether Zelenska worries about her husband's well-being, asking if he is different in public than private.
"Fortunately, he doesn't differ much from his public self and his behind-the-scenes self... You can 'recharge' from him. He holds up well, but not because... Let's put it this way, I think it's his natural trait. I am currently working a lot on mental health issues and know that this resilience varies in everyone. It's like immunity. There is a certain amount of trials it can withstand without consequences.
Of course, it's hard for him. But he has his ways of recovering. Our children help a lot with this. He can goof around with them, dance, sing silly songs, and laugh, which helps. Sports also help him; when he's stressed and nerves are stretched thin, he can work out in the gym. Sometimes, there's not enough sleep, but there’s nothing that can be done about it for now. I'm confident he will endure everything," summarised the First Lady.
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