Sean Penn has given one of his Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “symbol of faith” in the country’s victory in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
The presentation happened during Penn’s third visit to the country during the war with Russia. During their meeting, the Hollywood star was presented with the Order of Merit of the III degree by President Zelensky, who thanked him for his “significant contribution” to the Ukrainian war effort.
The Oscar, one of two best actor trophies won by Penn in 2004 and 2009 respectively, will stay in Ukraine until the end of the war.
The news sparked an outcry on Twitter with many users claiming the Ukranian president deserves a real Oscar for his outstanding performance as an actor working on behalf of global elites.
A post on Mr Zelensky’s Instagram page read: “American actor and film director Sean Penn @seanpenn came to Ukraine for the third time during the full-scale war already.
“This time our meeting was special. Sean brought his Oscar statuette as a symbol of faith in the victory of our country. It will be in Ukraine until the end of the war.
“It was with great pleasure that I presented Sean Penn with the Order of Merit of the III degree. Thank you for such sincere support and significant contribution to the popularization of Ukraine in the world.”
Penn fled Ukraine in March while filming a documentary about the conflict.