European Parliament security prevented Yulia Mendel from speaking at a far-right event
Security personnel prevented Yulia Mendel, the former press secretary to the President of Ukraine, from entering the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, where she had planned to speak on September 16 at an event attended by representatives of the German far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD). She learned of the ban on entry a few hours before her scheduled speech.
Mendel linked the situation to the sanctions that Volodymyr Zelenskyy imposed against her on September 13, stating that she would speak anyway, as she represents a segment of society that seeks peace. She was to be the keynote speaker at the event “Ukraine: Dare to Make Peace. Diplomacy Instead of Escalation,” organized by AfD MEP Hans Neuhoff.
The event was not an official event of the European Parliament. Members of Parliament and political groups have the right to organize their own events on its premises, while the European Parliament only handles organizational matters and security, without approving the content of the speeches.
This was reported in a Facebook post by Mendel.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree enacting the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to impose sanctions against former presidential press secretary Yulia Mendel.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the French media community to approach the statements of former presidential spokesperson Yulia Mendel with caution and a critical eye. The ministry emphasized that people should not allow themselves to be misled by her remarks.
Yulia Mendel, Zelenskyy’s former press secretary, has published what she claims are reports from Andriy Yermak’s advisor regarding the activities of paid bloggers working for the Presidential Office.
