Olena Selenska has a clear demand for the world

She likes to stay in the background, said Olena Selenska (44) last summer in a conversation with the magazine ‘Vogue’. But the war in her homeland forced the Ukrainian first lady into the spotlight. Representing her husband, she traveled to Turkey to receive a warship, attended donor conferences in Paris, and in July — five months before her husband’s trip to the US — called for “weapons to be replaced” for the US Congress in Washington to protect our home. ».

Olena Selenska’s next trip could be to Switzerland – surnames change according to gender in Ukrainian. On Wednesday it was announced that she will be a speaker at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos GR. For security reasons, the organizers do not want to disclose whether she actually travels to the Prättigau or only connects via video.

From show business to diplomatic theatre

The trained architect from the southern Ukrainian town of Krywyj Rih never dreamed that one day she would become the diplomatic secret weapon of her homeland. After her studies, she worked as a screenwriter for the TV production company of the then comedian Volodymyr Selenski (44), whom she had met when they were at school together. The two have a lot in common: both grew up speaking Russian and only later learned Ukrainian. They are both an only child. And both once made their money in show business.

Now Olena Selenska and her husband are fighting together for the survival of their homeland. While Selenski negotiates arms deliveries and travels to the Eastern Front, Selenska focuses on rebuilding hospitals and supporting teachers in the war zone. The mother of two also supports Ukrainian museums with her foundation. Protecting one’s culture, says Selenska, is one of the most important defense strategies against the Russians, who wanted to “wipe out the Ukrainian nation”.

Selenska and Selenski live separately – for security reasons

It is unlikely that she will be accompanied by her husband on her possible visit to Switzerland. The two don’t even live together in Kiev at the moment – for security reasons. Especially the two children Oleksandra (18) and Kyrylo (9) had a particularly hard time, she told the Bild in the autumn.

Your demand in Davos should therefore be the same as in Washington and Paris: “Send us weapons, more weapons, so that we can finally end this wretched war.”