Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The former presidential spokesperson said the restrictions will not affect her stance on ending the war.
Former press secretary of the President of Ukraine Yuliya Mendel commented on the sanctions imposed against her by Volodymyr Zelensky. She linked the decision to her public statements about the need to end the war and to her interview with Tucker Carlson. Yuliya Mendel reported this on Facebook.
Yuliya Mendel said the sanctions against her were imposed by her former boss Volodymyr Zelensky a few days before her appearance in the European Parliament. The former presidential press secretary agreed to speak at an event in the European Parliament organized by a representative of the German party Alternative for Germany (AfD). The party’s website indicates that the event is devoted to Russia’s war against Ukraine and possibilities for its resolution.
"Sanctions against Ukrainian citizens are unconstitutional, like many other decisions of Zelensky. Volodymyr Zelensky applies them against everyone who speaks for peace in Ukraine," Mendel wrote.
The event is scheduled to take place on 16 September at 18:00 in Strasbourg during the first plenary week of the European Parliament after the summer recess. Organizers say the former presidential spokesperson’s speech will be a central part of the program.
"I knew a 'state treason' case was being prepared over my interview with Tucker Carlson and suspected the possibility of sanctions. This does not change my position, nor the position of millions of Ukrainians. To survive, Ukraine needs peace, not another dictatorship, even if it is Zelensky’s dictatorship," Mendel said.
Recall that Alternative for Germany has recently significantly strengthened its position in German politics. In the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, AfD took first place with 44% of the vote, ahead of the CDU by almost 27 percentage points. The party also leads nationwide polls with support of about 28%. AfD leadership says it intends to continue increasing its influence and aims for a substantially higher result in the federal elections in 2029.
In addition, Yuliya Mendel’s public statements have already provoked a separate reaction from Ukrainian state bodies. The Center for Countering Disinformation said her interviews with foreign media contain theses resonant with key narratives of Russian propaganda. Content containing these statements has received more than 3,2 million views. The center believes their active dissemination may be aimed at discrediting Ukrainian leadership, weakening international support, and demoralizing society.
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