Former Volodymyr Zelensky spokeswoman Yulia Mendel said Ukraine was prepared during negotiations with Russia in Istanbul in 2022 to agree to handing over Donbas in order to end the war.
In an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, Mendel said she had spoken with people who took part in the talks on behalf of Ukraine.
“I spoke with people who represented Ukraine at the Istanbul negotiations in 2022. And they explained to me in detail that they agreed to everything. Moreover—and this is very important—they said that Zelensky personally agreed to give up Donbas,” she said.
According to Mendel, the decision was viewed as a way to stop the fighting.
“He agreed to give up territory because it would have meant the end of the war,” the former Ukrainian presidential spokeswoman said.
She also accused Zelensky of changing his position on Donbas.
“And now he stands before a multimillion audience and says: ‘I cannot give up Donbas.’ You see, he is inconsistent. He changes positions all the time… I have no personal vendetta, but I believe Zelensky today is one of the biggest obstacles to peace,” Mendel added.