The American publication Politico recognized Russian President Putin as "the loser of the year".
"Vladimir Putinʼs dream of a great Russia is unlikely to come true. His full-scale assault on Ukraine began to fall apart almost as quickly as it began. [...] The troops that briefly threatened Kyiv are barely holding on in the east of the country. His decision to draft hundreds of thousands of new soldiers resulted in a flood of men of draft age. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army, bolstered by territorial gains, Western arms supplies and captured Russian equipment, continues to press,” explains Politico.
The publication notes that Putin has long sought to return Russia to the status of a great power that it had during the Soviet period, but the invasion of Ukraine relegated Russia to "third-rate status."
“Others would cut their losses and retreat, but Putinʼs stubbornness means the war is likely to drag on. For Europe, this will continue to mean rampant inflation, skyrocketing energy prices, fertilizer and gas shortages, which will affect the economy and political system. Putinʼs inability to realize his dream does not mean that he will not continue to be a nightmare for his neighbors," the publication added.
- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky became the most influential person of the year according to Politico.
- On December 7, Time magazine named the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and "spirit of Ukraine" as "Person of the Year".
- On December 5, the British newspaper Financial Times also recognized the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky as "Person of the Year". He is considered "the embodiment of the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression."