Zelenskyy's former press secretary spoke about agreeing to cede Donbas to Russia; the Office of the President responded
Yulia Mendel, the former press secretary to the President of Ukraine, made several sensational statements regarding the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul in the spring of 2022.
She gave an interview to the American far-right propagandist and Russophile Tucker Carlson.
Mendel claimed that during the negotiations, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy allegedly agreed to transfer the Donbas region to Russia. According to her, she spoke with participants in the negotiation process who supposedly “agreed to everything.”
The Office of the President reacted sharply to these remarks and refuted the statements made by the former spokesperson for the head of state.
The Office of the President emphasized that Yulia Mendel did not participate in diplomatic proceedings and had no access to decision-making at the highest level.
The Office of the President also stated that the former spokesperson “has long been out of her mind.”
Mendel’s interview caused a wide stir due to the participation of Tucker Carlson, who has repeatedly made pro-Russian statements and criticized Western support for Ukraine.
Russia recently declared that new negotiations with the U.S. and Ukraine would be futile unless Kyiv agreed to withdraw Ukrainian troops from Donbas. Ukraine refuses to comply with these demands, deeming them unacceptable, and the negotiation process remains effectively stalled. This is according to a statement by Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov.
On the eve of May 9, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he does not recommend visiting Moscow during the parade events. The president also reported strikes on a number of Russian military and infrastructure facilities. In his statement, he sharply criticized the rhetoric of the Russian leadership and warned of possible risks.
The Russian presidential administration has prepared a plan for an information campaign in the event of a peace agreement with Ukraine.
