Former Zelensky Spokesperson Barred From EU Parliament

Yulia Mendel, a former spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Wednesday that she was barred from entering the European Parliament, where she had been due to speak just days after Zelensky imposed sanctions on her.

Mendel, who served as Zelensky’s spokesperson from 2019 to 2021, directly attributed the decision to the sanctions. She ultimately delivered her speech by video link. The event on Ukraine was organized by Hans Neuhoff, a German member of the European Parliament from the AfD.

Over the weekend, Zelensky imposed sanctions on Mendel and several others who, according to the decree, are spreading disinformation and Russian propaganda. Mendel called the measures unconstitutional and accused the president of targeting people who question his account of events.

The 40-year-old former aide has become a prominent critic of Zelensky in recent years. She has accused him of corruption and authoritarian tendencies, described him as the main beneficiary of the war and called him one of the greatest obstacles to peace.

While condemning Russia’s invasion and attacks on Ukraine, Mendel advocates a swift agreement with Moscow, arguing that continued fighting threatens Ukraine’s survival. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi has accused her of making manipulative statements that echo Russian propaganda narratives.

Since the start of the war in 2022, Zelensky has imposed sanctions on other prominent Ukrainians, including former President Petro Poroshenko, businessman Ihor Kolomoisky and Andriy Bohdan, the former head of Zelensky’s presidential office.

(leparisien, bak)