The evolution of the speeches of Volodymyr Zelensky as President of Ukraine before February 24, 2022

Abstract

Volodymyr Zelensky, elected almost three years ago, was initially perceived in the context of his earlier acting career, which resulted in the lack of greater interest in the content of his speeches. The armed aggression of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine has drawn the world’s attention to this country and its leader; the more so as the decisiveness and effectiveness of the actions taken began to be appreciated. The article aims to analyse the official speeches of President Volodymyr Zelensky, in the period from taking the oath before the Verkhovna Rada (May 20, 2019), to the beginning of the aggression on February 24, 2022. Based on the research using the content analysis method, it has been proven that the president’s speeches are characterised by the consistency of the message and comprehensibility of the form. In their content, they emphasise the construction of a modern, democratic society and topics related to the national heritage and the current socio-political situation.