Exclusive Olena Zelenska interview: War has pushed me close to psychological burnout

3 comments

1. **Exclusive interview with Ukraine’s first lady from The Telegraph’s Defence Editor in Kyiv, Danielle Sheridan:**

   For many people in Ukraine, it is not president Volodymyr Zelensky, with his trademark green sweatshirts and regular addresses to the nation, who provides comfort to the war-ravaged country, but rather his wife, [Olena Zelenska](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/11/29/ukraine-war-news-russia-putin-latest-invasion-weapons-live/).  

   Composed, articulate and by her husband’s side on the international stage whenever their conflicting schedules allow, the first lady of Ukraine has inadvertently become a powerful symbol of hope. 

   Yet behind her polished exterior, Mrs Zelenska has battled with the same anxieties and vulnerabilities known to ordinary Ukrainians, who continue to suffer the agonising consequences of [Vladimir Putin’s invasion](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/russia-ukraine-war/). 

   In an interview from inside the office of the president in Kyiv, Mrs Zelenska told The Telegraph that she had come close to burnout as she struggled to cope with the magnitude of Putin’s war while maintaining a brave face for her country and her children.

   “There are moments where I feel I am close to psychological burnout and I understand that I need rest,” Mrs Zelenska told The Telegraph*.*  

   “I try to use the moment effectively, because sometimes when we think we have rest, we don’t.”

   Since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, [Mrs Zelenska and her husband](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/07/27/volodymyr-zelensky-war-has-made-marriage-stronger/) have been forced to live apart. He stays at the office and she and their two children are at an undisclosed location.

   Spending each night alone, she confessed to occasions where she had woken in the middle of the night feeling like she was struggling to cope – the only reprieve being that her children had not seen her in this state.

   “Those were the most horrifying moments and it’s good it happened at night because none of my children saw it because I always have to be a source of confidence for them,” she admitted. 

   “Children always look up to their parents and they need to know that everything is going to be ok.”

   As part of her new commitment to take care of her mental health, Mrs Zelenska said she has occasionally permitted herself to be vulnerable.

   “A couple of times I allowed myself to cry when it was unbearably sad but it was something I did consciously because I know I have to dive deep to the bottom to find the power to push and then I can swim again,” she said.

   “You have to allow yourself an opportunity to cry it all out.”

   **Article Link:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/06/20/olena-zelenska-ukraine-hope-burnout-family/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/06/20/olena-zelenska-ukraine-hope-burnout-family/)

2. Her and her husband have been marvels. I wouldn’t want their lives for anything but damn they have made so much of this mess.

3. She and her “comedian“ husband have had an indelible impact on the history of Europe. Regardless what happens, they have secured their chapter in Profiles in Courage. A truly remarkable epic and inspirational story.