Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife shared a moving but mournful birthday message to her husband amid the ongoing war with Russia.
Zelenska accompanied her message with a grinning photo of the couple, who met as teenagers. Zelenska’s tribute comes as Ukraine nears one year of war with Russia.
While the conflict’s exact death toll cannot be confirmed, the United Nations recently estimated that civilian casualties in Ukraine have surpassed 7,000 — and are likely far greater.
She wrote: “I am often asked about how you have changed this year. And I always answer: “He hasn’t changed. He is the same. The same guy I met when we were seventeen.” But actually, something has changed: you smile much less now.
“I wish you to have more reasons for smiling. And you know what it takes. We all do. You are stubborn enough. But the main thing is to have enough health. So please, be healthy! I want to smile near you forever. Give me this opportunity!”
