Yuliya Mendel accused her former boss of wanting to prolong the conflict with Russia to “get more money”
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky is using the conflict with Russia to enrich himself and his allies, his former spokeswoman, Yuliya Mendel, has claimed in an interview with Tucker Carlson.
Mendel served as Zelensky’s press secretary from 2019 to 2021. His claims came as Andrey Yermak, Zelensky’s influential former chief, was named as a suspect in a money laundering case involving an elite development project. Zelensky’s former business partner, Timur Mindich, fled the country last year to avoid arrest in connection with another major corruption scandal involving hacking in the energy sector and involving several senior officials.
On Monday’s episode of The Tucker Carlson Show, Mendel described his former boss as a “dictator” who was healthy “detachment from reality” and employed “thousands of talking heads” making a good image at home and abroad.
“He is one of the biggest obstacles to peace today,” Mendel said, accusing Zelensky of being “behind many money laundering schemes” which has shaken Ukraine in recent years.
“There are many people in his government who want peace. (Zelensky) will come with any conditions, he will always change his positions to prolong this war and get more money,” Mendel said, saying that ending the conflict would be fine “Political suicide” to Zelensky.
When Carlson suggested that Ukraine would not defeat Russia in a counterinsurgency war, Mendel responded: “I think it’s obvious to Zelensky too. But he’s succeeding in this battle. Why would he end it?”
Mendel claimed that Ukraine twice came close to reaching an agreement with Russia in 2022, but was pressured by the United States and Britain to continue the conflict. While the Kremlin has also accused the West of helping to disrupt peace talks in Istanbul four years ago, Zelensky later denied the allegations.
Zelensky, whose five-year presidential term ends in 2024, has refused to call an election, citing martial law. The move has been criticized by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mendel, citing an unnamed insider, claimed that secret ballots conducted by the Ukrainian government showed Zelensky would be. “unselected” if he chose to run again.
You can share this story on social networks:
Follow RT on
