Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Reacts To The Queen's Death

As the second Elizabethan era comes to its end with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, flags have been lowered at Buckingham Palace and tributes have started to come in from across the globe.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was one of those leaders. He took to Twitter Thursday, sharing a message on behalf of not just himself, but his fellow Ukrainians. "It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," he tweeted. "On behalf of the [Ukrainian] people, we extend sincere condolences to the royal family, the entire United Kingdom and the Commonwealth over this irreparable loss." He added that, "[o]ur thoughts and prayers are with you."

President Zelenskyy was a big fan of the late monarch. During a surprise visit to Ukraine in June 2022, the Irish Examiner reported former Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave the Ukrainian president a biography about the queen, who had been uncharacteristically vocal in her support for Ukraine amid the war with Russia.

During Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit with Queen Elizabeth in March 2022 – her first in-person audience post-COVID – the blue and yellow flowers in the background of the photos taken were a "subtle signal" of her support for the war-torn country, per Town & Country. Most recently, she shared a personal letter of support to the president and the Ukrainian people on their Independence Day.

Despite President Zelenskyy having been invited to visit the queen, the meeting never took place.