Stefanchuk responded to Mendel's controversial remarks

Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk has refuted claims that Ukrainian territory or citizens could be surrendered in order to reach a peace agreement with Russia. The Speaker of Parliament emphasized the unified stance of the legislature and the President of Ukraine regarding the impossibility of capitulation or making territorial concessions to the enemy. 

He wrote about this on Facebook.

The statement was a response to an interview given by former Presidential Press Secretary Yulia Mendel to American journalist Tucker Carlson, in which she voiced claims about the state leadership’s alleged willingness to compromise regarding Donbas. Stefanchuk called such statements deliberate work for the enemy and an attempt to blur reality using Russian propaganda narratives. He emphasized that the path to Ukraine’s salvation lies through the daily heroism of the Defense Forces, not through ceding territory piece by piece.

The Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada called on citizens to practice information hygiene and support state institutions in the face of aggression. He emphasized that the position on preserving sovereignty and territorial integrity has remained unchanged since the first day of the full-scale invasion. Currently, the Ukrainian government continues to insist on the full restoration of Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders as the sole condition for lasting peace.