Why Zelensky is cuddling a very good girl named Freya
Pictures of the Ukrainian leader holding the baby pit bull with a symbolic name have proved a truth universally known in politics: If you want to get noticed, get a puppy.
August 27, 2026 at 11:50 a.m.
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This handout photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on August 25, 2026, shows Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky holding Freyja, a puppy given to him by American boxer Terence Crawford. (Handout/AFP/Getty Images)/
In between images of burned-out buildings and military meetings that dominate President Volodymyr Zelensky’s social media feeds, an unusual video stood out this week: the wartime leader cuddling a puppy.
The American pit bull was gifted to Zelensky by U.S. boxer Terence Crawford, according to Zelensky’s office, who shared a video along with photos.
Footage shows Zelensky beaming as the dog rests her head on his shoulder. Zelensky’s adviser Vadym Danylchenko, who helped organize the visit, told the Associated Press he was initially wary of a gift laden with responsibility, but the president said he would accept.
The puppy named Freya is the granddaughter of a dog that survived Russia’s brutal occupation of Bucha in 2022, Zelensky said, and bears the same name as Ukraine’s future air defense system.
| Bucha massacre (from Wikipedia) | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Battle of Bucha of the Russian invasion of Ukraine | |
 Photo of civilians shot in Bucha, one with wrists tied | |
  Bucha  Kyiv Location of Bucha in Kyiv Oblast | |
| Location | Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine |
| Date | March 2022; 4 years ago |
| Target | Civilians and prisoners of war |
Attack type | Mass murder (including torture and summary execution), enforced disappearance, looting and rape |
| Deaths |
|
| Perpetrators | 234th Guards Air Assault Regiment |
| Motive | Anti-Ukrainian sentiment;[4] genocidal intent (alleged;[note 1] recognised as such by the Verkhovna Rada[11]) |
Freya is the latest entry in a long political tradition of dog diplomacy — through which animals have been used by leaders around the world to broadcast subtle messages, smooth relations or become symbols in times of war.
Ukraine has experienced a massive wartime push toward pet-friendliness, with volunteers risking their lives to evacuate animals, government employees being encouraged to bring dogs to work and battlefield adoptions.
The images of a cooing Zelensky are likely to appeal to the Ukrainian public and the gift comes at a particularly fraught moment for Ukraine’s leader, who is confronting sustained Russian bombardment, a lack of missile interceptors and a challenging moment for national unity.
Dogs have also been a regular feature in the White House, to the extent that President Donald Trump was prompted to explain why he didn’t have one. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also a well-known dog lover and has been given at least four dogs by foreign leaders.
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Victoria Craw is a breaking news reporter and editor in The Washington Post’s London Hub.
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What readers of this article are saying:
The comments largely focus on President Zelenskyy and his new dog, Freya, highlighting the joy and comfort the dog brings to him amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Many commenters express admiration for Zelenskyy and his leadership, while contrasting this with negative opinions about Donald Trump's relationship with dogs. Additionally, there are discussions about the symbolism of the name Freya and updates on Ukraine's military actions against Russia.
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