Former spokeswoman for the President of Ukraine Yulia Mendel has sharply criticized Volodymyr Zelenskyy's political tactics. In her statement, she claims that the head of state often puts forward conditions that are unrealistic in advance in order to avoid making difficult decisions.
According to Mendel, political blackmail has become an extension of the president's business approach. She believes that Zelensky regularly formulates demands that are practically impossible to fulfill, and then changes them so as not to make specific commitments.
As an example, she cited the president's statement that he would be willing to step down if Ukraine were admitted to NATO. According to Mendel, this condition seems symbolic, since Ukraine's membership in the Alliance currently remains a difficult and long-term prospect.
The former spokeswoman also mentioned Zelensky's position on possible peace agreements with Russia. She noted that the requirement for Ukraine's accession to the European Union as one of the conditions for peace is difficult, since the integration process requires many years of reforms and negotiations.
Another example she gave was the issue of holding elections in Ukraine. According to Mendel, the president has stated that elections are only possible if Russia maintains a two-month ceasefire. At the same time, the Central Election Commission has previously reported that preparations for the elections will require at least six months.
Mendel also mentioned Zelensky's proposed peace plan, which includes a number of global political and security points. In her opinion, the implementation of such a plan could take a very long time.
In her criticism, she claims that such tactics allow one to shift responsibility to external circumstances or other participants in the negotiations.
As a reminder, Yulia Mendel is a Ukrainian journalist and former press secretary for President Volodymyr Zelensky. She held this position from June 2019 to July 2021. Before working in the Office of the President, she worked as a journalist for over ten years and published materials in Ukrainian and international media.
