"These have been the most horrible months of my life, and the lives of every Ukrainian," she said. "Frankly, I don’t think anyone is aware of how we have managed emotionally."

She told: "We’re looking forward to victory. We have no doubt we will prevail. And this is what keeps us going."

Olena Zelenska was photographed by Annie Leibovitz in Kyiv. Now, in a crucial new phase, with Ukraine battling for international support and fresh military aid, the first lady’s role is no longer minor or ornamental.

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"After spending the first months of the war in hiding, Zelenska, who, like her husband, is 44, has emerged into public view to become a face of her nation – a woman’s face, a mother’s face, an empathetic human face." noted Vogue.