A special aircraft carrying Ukraine's First Lady Olena Volodymyrivna Zelenska and Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha made a brief halt at Jaipur International Airport early Sunday morning for refuelling. The stopover, which was pre-approved by India's Ministry of External Affairs, saw the aircraft land around 6:30 am, as per media reports. The 23-member Ukrainian delegation included several top officials such as Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and Minister for Economic Affairs Oleksii Sobolev. During the brief layover, the delegation disembarked and waited in the VIP lounge, where they were served light refreshments. They also met officials from the Ukrainian Embassy in Delhi who had arrived in Jaipur to welcome them.
As this was a technical stop, the delegation did not require immigration clearance. The aircraft resumed its journey to Japan at approximately 8:15 am. According to reports, the Ukrainian delegation is visiting Japan to strengthen bilateral ties and is expected to urge Tokyo to tighten sanctions on Russia and offer greater support in Ukraine’s reconstruction efforts.
Who is Olena Zelenska?
Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, was born on February 6, 1978, in Kryvyi Rih. She studied architecture and urban construction at Kryvyi Rih National University, where she met her future husband, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The couple married in 2003 and have two children, Oleksandra and Kyrylo. Before assuming her role as First Lady in 2019, Olena was a screenwriter at Kvartal 95, a popular comedy production company co-founded by Zelenskyy.
Known for her reserved personality, she initially avoided the political spotlight. However, since becoming First Lady, Olena has championed causes including children's nutrition in schools, gender equality and domestic violence prevention. She has also worked to improve accessibility in cultural institutions and promoted Ukrainian-language audio guides in museums around the world. One of her most notable initiatives is the Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, aimed at fostering international collaboration on humanitarian issues.
