- Title: Politics and falafel - Zelenskiy holds press marathon in food court
- Date: 10th October 2019
- Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (OCTOBER 10, 2019) (REUTERS) FOOD TABLE (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) CHANNEL 5 TV REPORTER, LESYA GOLOVATA, SAYING: "Taken that Ukrainian journalists have very limited access to (President) Zelenskiy, and even when journalists are trying to get a comment on an actus topic, president's press secretary does everything possible to be kind of his bodyguard, we are using this opportunity to ask really important questions." VARIOUS OF FOOD COURT VIEWS (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) "HROMADSKE" NEWS EDITOR, YULIA BANKOVA, SAYING: "I don't know. The main thing he came to (talk to) people, to talk to us. And we have a chance to ask questions. As for the style - well, it is unusual. But it is better to talk like this than not to talk at all, I guess." PRESS MARATHON SEEN FROM OTHER SIDE OF FOOD COURT ACTIVISTS OUTSIDE OF FOOD COURT HOLDING PLACARDS POLICE OFFICER TALKING TO ACTIVISTS AND MAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) POLITICAL ACTIVIST FROM "SVOBODA" (LIBERTY) PARTY, VSEVOLOD TERENTIEV, SAYING: "We came here today to demonstrate our position, and also to ask, through the journalists, the questions that of high interest to us. As far as I know it is the first such a public meeting by the president." MEDIA AND ACTIVISTS OUTSIDE OF FOOD COURT
- Embargoed: 24th October 2019 12:04
- Keywords: Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy press marathon media marathon foodcourt
- Location: KIEV, UKRAINE
- City: KIEV, UKRAINE
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA003B0IKU9L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of Ukrainian journalists had a chance to share a table with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday (October 10) as he ran an unusual media-marathon in a Kiev food court.
Snacks were served and coffee flowed in litres as president and reporters from the country's major newspapers, television channels and radio stations asked their questions to Zelenskiy in informal groups of ten.
President's team published an accreditation invitation on his Facebook page on Wednesday (October 9) saying media representatives can apply for 30 minute slots with Zelenskiy - an unusual move which was quickly compared to a speed-dating event by some commentators online.
Zelenskiy took hundreds of questions and was eager to pose for photographers among stalls with delicacies and shelves with wine bottles.
A rare opportunity for the Ukrainian media to speak with the president at length emerged as Zelenskiy got into international spotlight after a transcript of his telephone conversation with President Trump triggered calls for impeachment in the U.S.
The press marathon started at 10 a.m. local time (7 a.m. GMT) and was expected to last for up to 10 hours, presidential press service said.
(Production: Sergiy Karazy, Dmitry Turlyun) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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