Jon Stewart Has Strong Words About Zelenskyy

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has become the face of the country's resistance. Zelenskyy's rise to political prominence is anything but ordinary, as he was an actor and comedian before he stepped into office, according to Vox. Zelenskyy appeared on reality competition shows like "Dancing With the Stars," acted in soap operas, and even did voice-overs for movies like "Paddington Bear," per Vanity Fair. Zelenskyy's background has captivated people worldwide amidst his courageousness and leadership in the face of war.

Most recently, U.S. President Joe Biden praised Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people for their "fearlessness" and "courage" in his State of the Union address on March 1 (via The White House). Biden's words were significant as Zelenskyy refused an offer from the United States to evacuate in the early days of the war with the quote, "I need ammunition, not a ride," now-heard worldwide, per People. As Zelenskyy continues to fight for his country and citizens, Jon Stewart also had some strong words about him.

Jon Stewart is joining in on the chorus of people commending Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his handling of the Russian invasion. Stewart made his opinions on Zelenskyy clear during an appearance on "Morning Joe" on March 2, after host Joe Scarborough mentioned the Ukrainian's "extraordinary transformation" from a comedian to a politician (via Insider). "Extraordinary," Stewart replied. "Look, I'm a comedian. I know comedians. I don't know that we would be able to rise to the challenge of being in a movie about war."

Stewart went onto praise Zelenskyy for his "courage and tenacity," saying that the way he's "leading his country" is "incredibly moving." However, Stewart also warned people not to become over invested in Zelenskyy's heroics. "My fear for Ukraine is that we're going to get sucked into this idea of a heroic narrative, while these folks get surrounded in a long-term siege that's just going to cause so much more death and destruction," he added.

Stewart would know the devastation and impact war has on civilians and soldiers, as he spoke about the topic on the first episode of his Apple+ show "The Problem with Jon Stewart" in October 2021. Per Collider, Stewart called out the problematic issue of "burn pits" — a disposal area where anything and everything soldiers use are burned — and how the fumes are hazardous to people breathing them in.