Actor Sean Penn loans one of his Oscars to Zelenskyy

Sean Penn handed one of his Oscars to Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting in Kyiv, in footage released by the Ukrainian president on Tuesday, November 8.

“This is for you,” Penn can be heard telling Zelenskyy. “It’s just a symbolic, silly thing,” he continued, “but if I know this is here with you then I’ll feel strong enough for the fight.”

“When you win bring it back to Malibu,” Penn says in the video, to which Zelensky agrees.

Zelensky presented Penn with Ukraine’s Order of Merit, the President’s Office said.

The footage also shows the pair walk to view a plaque bearing Penn’s signature, dated February 24, the day of the Russian invasion. The plaque is part of “Walk of the Brave” in the city’s Constitution Square, marked by a number of stones Zelensky inaugurated in August to honor friends of Ukraine.