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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Former presidential spokesperson for Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yulia Mendel, 18, spoke via video link to the European Parliament in September and stated that the president supposedly does not want to end the war with Russia. She was not allowed into the European Parliament building, so the speech took place remotely. Mendel claimed that a military defeat for Russia is impossible, and that better terms for peace will not come. She urged deputies to seek realistic paths to peace instead of supporting a “war of attrition.” The recording of the speech was published on the Times Now World YouTube channel.
Mendel accused Zelenskiy of apparently agreeing with the current state of affairs and rejecting all initiatives to end the war.
“To be frank: a large number of people want to destroy Russia more than to save Ukraine. With increasing zeal, we read — several times a month — fervent articles in leading media predicting the rapid disintegration of Russia,” said Yulia Mendel.
The former presidential spokesperson cited a number of figures that lack official confirmation. She said that currently up to 25 million people live in Ukraine, about half of whom are pensioners, and added that in the coming 10 years the population could fall to less than 20 million.
“Yes, Russia started this war. But it is exactly the war lobby — those who profit from it — who support it. This is not me, and this is not you. So why would you support this slaughter, this war of attrition against Ukrainians?” Mendel stated.
She also claimed that since 2022 year Zelenskiy rejected at least five potential peace agreements, without specifying which deals she had in mind. According to Mendel, each subsequent agreement would contain worse terms for Ukraine, as the country loses people and territory.
Took part in the event by the organization “Alternative for Germany”.
Yulia Mendel took part in the event “Ukraine. Dare to Peace. Diplomacy, not Escalation,” organized by the German far-right party Alternative for Germany. She was able to join only via video link because she was not admitted to the European Parliament building. In a press briefing, the institution said they do not comment on individual cases of entry bans.
At the end of her speech Mendel said she hopes for partnership with Western powers gaining influence in Europe and the United States in establishing peace, not prolonging the war.
Earlier, Informator reported that Zelenskiy imposed sanctions against Mendel for ten years. The National Security and Defense Council’s decision was made on 13 September, and the restrictions include asset freezes, bans on public procurement, and restrictions on access to her content on Ukrainian social networks.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Мендель виступила у Європарламенті по відеозвʼязку і звинуватила Зеленського у небажанні завершувати війну". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Informator.
