Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine's wartime leader who became a hero to UK politicians

President addressed parliament in Westminster and will see his troops training on his first visit to Britain since the outbreak of war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses British MPs in Westminster Hall, London. PA

Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle welcomes Mr Zelenskyy to Westminster Hall. AFP

Sir Lindsay holds the helmet of one of Ukraine's most successful pilots, inscribed with the words 'We have freedom; give us wings to protect it', which was presented to him by Mr Zelenskyy. PA

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Mr Zelenskyy arrive in Dorset to visit Ukrainian troops being trained to command Challenger 2 tanks. PA

Mr Sunak and Mr Zelenskyy hold a news conference at the military facility in Lulworth. AP

Mr Zelenskyy and Mr Sunak met tank crews in Lulworth. EPA

Ukrainian troops in Lulworth, where they are training. Getty Images

Mr Zelenskyy speaks to the media in Lulworth. AFP

Mr Sunak and Mr Zelenskyy on board a Chinook helicopter, en route to Lulworth. PA

Mr Zelenskyy presents a medal as he meets Ukrainian troops being trained to command Challenger 2 tanks in Lulworth. AFP

Britain's King Charles III meets Mr Zelenskyy at Buckingham Palace. AP

Mr Zelenskyy is greeted as he arrives at Buckingham Palace. Getty

Mr Sunak shows Mr Zelenskyy around 10 Downing Street. Photo: No 10 Downing Street

Mr Sunak and Mr Zelenskyy have breakfast inside 10 Downing Street. Photo: No 10 Downing Street

Staff welcome Mr Zelenskyy to 10 Downing Street. Photo: No 10 Downing Street

Mr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Mr Sunak outside 10 Downing Street. PA

Mr Zelenskyy said he had come to 'thank the British people for their support'. AFP

Mr Zelenskyy arrived in Britain on Wednesday. PA

This is his second known foreign trip since Russia invaded a year ago. PA

A convoy of cars carrying Mr Zelenskyy drives through Westminster. PA

Mr Sunak greets Mr Zelenskyy at Standsted Airport as he arrives in the UK. Photo: UK Prime Minister's Office

The two leaders on the runway at Stansted Airport. Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Instagram

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Britain on Wednesday where he received a hero's welcome from politicians in Westminster.

The rare foreign visit is his first appearance on British soil since the outbreak of war in February last year.

Mr Zelenskyy, 45, developed a strong rapport with former prime minister Boris Johnson after Russia's invasion, and has previously expressed gratitude for Britain's extensive military and economic support.

While he has welcomed numerous foreign leaders to Kyiv — including US President Joe Biden and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen — Mr Zelenskyy's trips abroad are far less common, owing to the difficult situation on Ukraine's front line.

An enthusiastic communicator, Mr Zelenskyy has been an ever-present figure during the conflict, delivering a nightly address to his citizens and making regular appeals to international audiences via video link.

He has previously addressed the UN Security Council and Davos, as well as events such as the Grammys and the Golden Globes in an attempt to drum up broad global support.

Who is Volodymyr Zelenskyy?

Mr Zelenskyy was born to Jewish parents in 1978 in the predominantly Russian-speaking industrial city of Kryvyi Rih in central Ukraine, which was then part of the Soviet Union.

A grandson of a soldier who fought the Nazis as part of the Red Army, Mr Zelenskyy studied economics and law at Kryvyi Rih National University.

He became an actor and comedian at the age of 17, starring in various films. His political satire singled him out in 2015 to play the lead in Servant of the People, which centred on a fictional character who won the presidency in Ukraine and launched sweeping reforms to save it from a corrupt political class.

With no previous political experience, Mr Zelenskyy was elected for real on April 21, 2019. He beat the incumbent, Petro Poroshenko, with nearly 73 per cent of the vote.

He campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket and promised negotiations with Russia to find a solution to the turmoil in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which has been run by Moscow-backed separatists since 2014.

His critics describe Mr Zelenskyy as a puppet of Ukrainian business mogul Ihor Kolomoyskyy, the former billionaire governor of the key industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk.

In the lead-up to the Russian invasion, Mr Zelenskyy was critical of Mr Biden’s open and detailed warnings about Vladimir Putin’s intentions, saying they were premature and could cause panic.

During the continuing crisis, he became a social media star, with millions of followers on Instagram. Many of his admirers have shared photos from his past life as an actor as well as others with his wife and parents.

Washington and its allies were often subjected to criticism for not doing more to protect Ukraine, including defending it militarily or accelerating its application to join Nato.

Mr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena, an architect, have a daughter, 17, and son, nine. It is thought they remained in Ukraine when Russia invaded in February 2022 and did not join the exodus of mainly women and children seeking safety abroad.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy through the years - in pictures