President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Nov. 30, 2019. (Oleksii Furman / Getty Images)Volodymyr Zelensky was sworn in as Ukraine's president on May 20, 2019.He entered office as a political outsider — a relatively young comedian and television producer — promising anti-corruption reforms and peace with Russia.Within several years, he would become the face of Ukraine's wartime resistance and one of the world's most recognizable leaders during Europe's deadliest war since World War II.Within the past seven years, Zelensky's rule has changed alongside the country itself: from ambitious reforms and major construction projects to an all-out war and a flurry of international meetings set to rally support, secure aid, and redefine Ukraine's role on the global stage.The Kyiv Independent sums up Zelensky's seven years in office through the defining moments that shaped both his leadership and the country he governs.Ukrainian then-presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky reviews material before hosting his comedy show Liha Smikhu (League of Laughter) in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 19, 2019. (Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images)2019 election Zelensky came to power in 2019 on a wave of frustration with Ukraine's political establishment.He positioned himself as an outsider capable of breaking the old system and implementing the much-needed reforms.At the time, many Ukrainians were exhausted by years of political turbulence, economic hardship, and slow progress following the 2014 EuroMaidan Revolution and the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Zelensky's message resonated particularly strongly with younger voters and people disillusioned with traditional politics.In the presidential runoff, Zelensky defeated then-President Petro Poroshenko in a commanding fashion, receiving over 74% of the votes.Ukrainian then-presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky reacts after the announcement of the first exit poll results in the second round of Ukraine's presidential election at his campaign headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 21, 2019. (Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images)Ukrainian then-presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky gives a speech after the announcement of the first exit poll results in the second round of Ukraine's presidential election at his campaign headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 21, 2019. (Sergei GAPON / AFP via Getty Images)Then-President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky shows an ancient Bulava (historical symbol of the state power) during his inauguration in the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv, Ukraine, on May 20, 2019. (Maxym Marusenko / NurPhoto via Getty Images)First scandal with TrumpThe first major crisis of Zelensky's presidency emerged almost immediately and was ignited by Donald Trump.In 2019, a phone call between Zelensky and U.S. President Trump became public after a whistleblower complaint triggered a political scandal in Washington.During the call, Trump pressed Zelensky to investigate political rival and presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden while U.S. military aid to Ukraine was temporarily frozen.Hunter Biden became part of the controversy due to his involvement with the Ukrainian energy company Burisma.The scandal quickly escalated into Trump's first impeachment hearing, while Zelensky was forced to maintain a balancing act, maintaining ties with the U.S. administration and not spoiling relations with Trump's eventual successor.U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, on Sept. 25, 2019. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images)Paris meeting with PutinIn December 2019, Zelensky met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Paris during a Normandy Format summit mediated by France and Germany.It remains their first — and so far only — face-to-face meeting.The summit was part of efforts to revive the stalled Minsk peace process and end fighting in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, where Russia had maintained a military presence since 2014.While the meeting produced limited progress, including agreements on prisoner swaps, it also exposed how fundamentally far apart Kyiv and Moscow remained.Zelensky believed diplomacy could realistically end Russia's war and occupation of Ukrainian territories, while Russia sought to impose its terms on the newly elected president.(L-R) President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend their summit on Ukraine at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Dec. 9, 2019. (Christophe Petit Tesson / Pool / Getty Images)(L-R) President Volodymyr Zelensky and then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel listen to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a press conference after a summit on Ukraine at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Dec. 9, 2019. (Charles Platiau / Pool / AFP / Getty Images)Great Construction projectOne of the main domestic priorities of Zelensky's early years in office was infrastructure modernization.In 2020, his administration launched the large-scale "Great Construction" initiative, a nationwide program to rebuild roads, hospitals, bridges, and public facilities across Ukraine.Road construction quickly became the program's most recognizable symbol.Across the country, Ukrainians saw highways and regional roads rebuilt at a pace rarely seen before. Politically, the initiative was important because it produced immediate results in daily life.At the same time, critics questioned the transparency of some contracts and argued that the program also served as a political tool to strengthen Zelensky's popularity.President Volodymyr Zelensky attends the launch of traffic on the upper part of the new cable-stayed bridge across the Dnipro River on Unity Day in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on Jan. 22, 2022. (Dmytro Smolyenko / Ukrinform / Future Publishing / Getty Images)Russian military buildup in 2021In 2021, as Russia began massing troops near Ukraine's borders, Western intelligence increasingly warned about the possibility of a full-scale Russian invasion.Zelensky's public response, however, focused heavily on maintaining calm.He repeatedly urged Ukrainians and foreign partners not to panic, insisting the situation remained under control despite alarming intelligence assessments coming from Washington and European capitals.The Ukrainian leadership feared that panic itself could trigger severe economic consequences and public chaos.One month before the all-out invasion, Zelensky released a video address that many Ukrainians still remember vividly. Calling for calm, he criticized what he described as excessive panic surrounding invasion predictions.Looking ahead to summer, he suggested Ukrainians would continue living normally and "grill barbecue as usual."President Volodymyr Zelensky (C), then-President's Office Head Andriy Yermak (CR), and Internal Minister Denys Monastyrsky (R) on the sidelines of special tactical drills in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Yulii Zozulia / Ukrinform / Future Publishing / Getty Images)President Volodymyr Zelensky visits the front-line positions of Ukrainian military in Donbas, Ukraine, on Dec. 6, 2021. (Ukrainian Presidency / Handout / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images)Satellite image of Russian tanks and equipment at Pogorovo training area near Voronezh, Russia, on April 10, 2021. (Maxar Technologies / Getty Images)Satellite image of a military armor and artillery convoy heading in the direction of Ukraine near Sergievka, Russia, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Maxar Technologies)Full-scale war beginsWhen Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, Zelensky's presidency changed instantly.As Russian forces advanced toward Kyiv and U.S. officials offered evacuation options, Zelensky refused to leave the capital.In the chaotic first days of the invasion, rumors spread online claiming that Ukraine's leadership had fled the city.In response, Zelensky recorded a short nighttime video from central Kyiv alongside senior officials, directly rejecting Russian narratives."The president is here," he said.The message became one of the defining moments of the opening phase of the war.Around the same period, Zelensky reportedly responded to evacuation proposals with the now-famous phrase: "I need ammunition, not a ride."Whether inside Ukraine or abroad, perceptions of him shifted. Public trust in the president skyrocketed from 37% in early 2022, an all-time low, to over 90% following Russia's full-scale invasion.People leave Kyiv following the first missile strikes by the Russian Armed Forces against Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)