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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The scandalous former spokesperson for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Yulia Mendel, who recently received suspicion from the Security Service, spoke at an event of the ultra-right pro-Russian party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Bundestag. The German Green Party criticized the guest appearance, according to Welt.
“This appearance says a lot about AfD’s political agenda,” said Irene Mihalik, parliamentary deputy chairwoman of the Green Party, to Rheinische Post.
The politician added that Mendel engages in “purely accusing the victim, and AfD gladly uses this propaganda for its pro-Russian subversive war in the German parliament.” Mihalic emphasized that inviting this person is an insult to tens of thousands of people who have become victims of Russian aggression.
“Mendel hides the crime while pretending that the hostage must stop resisting so that the taking of hostages ends. This distortion is simply vile and has no place in the halls of the German Bundestag,” Mihalic said.
Mendel was supposed to speak at a similar event for members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg as early as September. But then its leader Roberta Metsola canceled her speech. Mihalic recalled this and noted that AfD “could act as the European Parliament is doing now.” Mihalic added that if security problems arise during the screening of people who are to speak in the Bundestag, appropriate measures should be taken.
“I simply believe that we must study very carefully who appears here, in the Bundestag. For example, I have clear concerns when individuals are invited whom a friendly country accuses of treason,” the politician added.
The Bundestag administration refused to comment on this particular case to the newspaper. However, a spokesperson said that “before granting any access to guests,” reliability checks are conducted to reduce security risks.
“Any pending sanctions procedures in third countries, as a rule, are not related to Bundestag reliability checks,” the spokesman added.
3 November, the Office of the Prosecutor General, in cooperation with the Security Service, informed Mendel by proxy of suspicion under articles of treason (part 2 of Art. 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and justifying armed aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine (parts 2, 3 of Art. 436-2 of the CKU). The security service argued that Mendel publicly justified the Kremlin regime and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and discredited Ukraine on the international stage. The SBU added that because she is abroad, measures to bring her to account are currently ongoing.
In September 2026, the president of Ukraine introduced sanctions against people who justify Russia’s military aggression, including Yulia Mendel. She stated that the decision to implement sanctions is related to her statements about the need to end the war and Tucker Carlson's interview.
Mendel held the position of Zelensky’s press secretary from June 2019 to July 2021 of the year. Before that she worked as a journalist at “Inter”, “Espreso,” and ICTV. In May of this year she told Tucker Carlson in an interview that Zelensky blocked peace, and voiced messages of Russian propaganda. The Center for Countering Disinformation stated that Mendel’s statements are aimed at undermining international support for Ukraine.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Партія «Зелених» розкритикувала проросійську АдН за виступ Мендель на її заході в Бундестазі". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: ZN.ua.
