American actor and director Sean Penn has been honored with Ukraine’s state award, the “National Legend of Ukraine.” The award was presented to him by President Volodymyr Zelensky during a ceremonial event.
Penn is one of 18 recipients of this year’s award. He was recognized for his support of Ukraine and his personal contribution to drawing the world’s attention to Russian aggression.
Sean Penn has visited Ukraine multiple times since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. The actor has met with Ukrainian politicians, military personnel, and civilians, documented the events of the war, and publicly urged the world to support Ukraine.
During the ceremony, Volodymyr Zelensky specifically addressed the American actor, mentioning his attitude towards prestigious awards. The President humorously noted that while Penn once skipped the Oscars, he came to Ukraine to receive a state award.
This is not the first recognition for Sean Penn related to his support of Ukraine. His active stance became particularly noticeable after the full-scale war began. The actor has visited Ukraine and worked on a documentary about the Russian invasion and events surrounding the Ukrainian president.
The “National Legend of Ukraine” award was established in 2021. It honors individuals for outstanding service to Ukraine, contributions to the defense of the state, and the development of culture, arts, sports, charity, and other important areas of public life.
