Tags: EU | Ukraine | Two | Campaigns

Ukraine Election: The President Vs. Guy Who Plays One on TV

Ukraine Election: The President Vs. Guy Who Plays One on TV

Thursday, 18 April 2019 10:39 AM EDT

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's presidential runoff Sunday is a battle between a billionaire tycoon who rode anti-Russian protests to the nation's top office five years ago and a comedian who plays a president in a TV sitcom. Improbably, the actor appears poised to win.

Comic actor Volodymyr Zelenskiy's commanding lead in the polls reflects widespread disillusionment with President Petro Poroshenko and Ukraine's old political elite, as well as a seething anger against rampant corruption and a lack of opportunity that have left many in endemic poverty.

It also reflects a campaign that has effectively used humor and social media to reach voters.

Zelenskiy's easygoing style and artistic flair contrasts sharply with Poroshenko's stodgy demeanor and stiff gestures, and the rival campaigns bear the distinctive mark of their starkly different persona.

© Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Ukraine's presidential runoff Sunday is a battle between a billionaire tycoon who rode anti-Russian protests to the nation's top office five years ago and a comedian who plays a president in a TV sitcom. Improbably, the actor appears poised to win.Comic actor Volodymyr...
EU,Ukraine,Two,Campaigns
130
2019-39-18
Thursday, 18 April 2019 10:39 AM
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