Yulia Mendel barred from European Parliament

Yulia Mendel, a former spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was barred from entering the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. Mendel was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at an event titled ‘Ukraine: Daring for Peace. Diplomacy Instead of Escalation,’ organized by German Alternative for Germany (AfD) MEP Hans Neuhoff.

Mendel attributed the denial of entry to 10-year sanctions recently imposed on her by President Zelensky. The Ukrainian government accused her of spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation following her public criticisms of the administration, including allegations of corruption and authoritarianism made during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

Despite being prevented from entering the building, Mendel delivered her speech virtually via videoconference. The incident occurred on the same day as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union address.