Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska can block certain political initiatives or personnel decisions. However, the president’s wife does not engage in political games of her own.

Axar.az reports that sources close to President Volodymyr Zelensky told RBC-Ukraine about this.

In particular, several RBC-Ukraine sources link Zelenska’s support to the fact that Education and Science Minister Oksen Lisovyi remained in his position for so long, only being dismissed during a complete government overhaul.

At the same time, according to a source close to the president, the first lady can even block the appointment of certain people.

“I don’t know how far the first lady can push an initiative, but she can certainly block a person or an idea. She has, so to speak, a ‘golden right of veto,’” a source close to Zelensky told RBC-Ukraine.

Another RBC-Ukraine source emphasized that Olena Zelenska does not engage in political games of her own.

“In all these seven years, I have never seen any intrigue or ‘scheme’ from her; that’s simply not what she is about. She balances the president, at least to the extent that he can be balanced,” another source from the Servant of the People party told RBC-Ukraine.