"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.

"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.