This is an attack not against the president but against her own country - Sybiha on Mendel's words
Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha criticized statements by former presidential press secretary Yuliia Mendel in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, calling her "not the first to join the club of lackeys of Russian propaganda and narratives."
"I didn't even listen to the end of the pathetic, vile 'revelations' of the former press secretary. The filth she spoke is an attack not against the president but against her own country. All this lies and manipulation are directed against Ukraine's interests and in support of Russian demands and ultimatums," he wrote on Facebook.
Sybiha called it "disgusting when for the sake of 'fame' such characters are ready to humiliate their own state and grovel before Russian propaganda."
"In the end, this person is not the first to join the club of lackeys of Russian propaganda and narratives. But this is a one-way ticket. History will put everything in its place, give fair assessments and show the true role of each person," the minister wrote.
He also added that he considers President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's role in Ukraine's survival in 2022 and its continued successful resistance to Russian aggression beyond doubt.
"Everyone who worked with the president of Ukraine in the most difficult times knows this... No false accusations will change these facts. They may, on the contrary, only confirm them. And for lovers of cheap fame — the path to oblivion," Sybiha said.
Earlier, Mendel, who served as President Volodymyr Zelensky's first press secretary from June 3, 2019 to July 9, 2021, gave a more than 1.5-hour interview to conservative American blogger Carlson in which she was highly critical of Zelenskyy's presidency.
In particular, Mendel claims Zelenskyy told Vladimir Putin that Ukraine would not join NATO and was then ready to hand over Donbas. In her view, Zelenskyy is allegedly interested in continuing the war and is "one of the biggest obstacles to peace today," while peace should be achieved by any means — something the former press secretary also asked Putin about in the interview.
According to Mendel, the Ukrainian president is "emotionally uncontrollable," with his public statements containing "manipulations, facts taken out of context, or outright lies." The former press secretary also accused her former boss of covering up "money laundering."
Ukrainian presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn, commenting on the interview at journalists' request, called such accusations against Volodymyr Zelenskyy "not serious."
"This lady did not participate in negotiations, did not participate in decision-making, has long been not herself, and who tells her things and whether it actually happened — it's not serious to comment on," he told journalists.
