President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has said that it is an honor for him to represent the struggle of Ukrainians and the spirit of Ukraine.

“The spirit of freedom that echoes in the souls of so many people around the world. Stories of heroes, who are fighting for independence, are also – your stories,” he said, speaking at the ceremony of announcing the person of the year of Time magazine. This year, the person of the year is "Volodymyr Zelensky and the Spirit of Ukraine".

"When freedom wins and tyranny is destroyed, people around the globe smile in the same way. Lawyers who do not yet see a military victory on the horizon, but are already working to ensure that war criminals are punished. This is the story of the Nuremberg Trials and many others. And many fair sentences, which were heard by those who believed in their impunity," he said.

“You have already seen the spirit of Ukraine on the covers of Time – not on each one, but on many. They were not Ukrainians – on the covers before, but they were – courage, striving for freedom, solidarity, creativity and dedication, – values well known to the mankind from a long time ago and which united the world this year with the colors of the Ukrainian national flag and our people’s achievements. This is the free world spirit. And let's do everything for our spirit to win!” the president said.