Overview of Zelensky’s Press Secretary Reveals All: Cocaine, Cover-ups, and the Only Obstacle Preventing Peace
In this Tucker Carlson Network interview, former Zelensky press secretary Yulia Mendel presents a sharply critical account of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership, arguing that he has become the main obstacle to ending the war in Ukraine. She claims Zelensky is manipulative, authoritarian, deeply corrupt, and increasingly detached from reality. The conversation also covers alleged corruption in government, the collapse of democratic norms, the state of Ukraine’s population and economy, and repeated missed opportunities for peace. Many of the claims are serious and highly controversial, and they are presented as allegations from an insider rather than independently verified facts.
Who the Guest Says Zelensky Really Is
Core characterization
Mendel describes Zelensky as a performer who presents one face to the public and another in private. According to her:
- He is emotionally unstable and difficult to work with.
- He relies on manipulation, propaganda, and image management.
- He is more interested in power and self-preservation than governance.
- He treats people as disposable and lacks real empathy.
The image-versus-reality theme
A recurring point in the interview is that Zelensky’s wartime image in the West was built on a myth:
- Western leaders initially saw him as inexperienced and unqualified.
- After Russia’s invasion, that perception flipped and he became a symbol of democracy and resistance.
- Mendel argues that this heroic image helped hide corruption and power consolidation.
War, Peace Talks, and NATO
Claims about shifting positions
Mendel says Zelensky repeatedly changed his public stance to fit political needs. She alleges that:
- In private, he told Vladimir Putin in 2019 that Ukraine would not join NATO.
- Later, he made NATO membership a central public demand.
- He used impossible conditions as a way to keep control of the agenda and justify continued war.
Peace negotiations
She claims there were real opportunities to end the war:
- During the 2022 Istanbul negotiations, she says Zelensky was willing to discuss territorial concessions, including Donbass.
- She claims the peace track was later derailed after Boris Johnson and Western leaders encouraged Ukraine to keep fighting.
- She argues Zelensky then adopted a harder nationalist posture that did not reflect his earlier position.
Her conclusion on the war
Her main argument is that the war has become unsustainable:
- Ukraine’s demographics, economy, and military capacity cannot support a long war against Russia.
- She believes continuing the war only benefits Zelensky politically.
- She says the only realistic path to Ukraine’s survival is a peace deal.
Corruption, Power, and State Capture
Allegations of corruption
Mendel makes several corruption-related claims, including:
- Zelensky approved or tolerated money-laundering schemes.
- Government appointments were sometimes tied to loyalty rather than competence.
- Officials were expected to find ways to divert public funds.
- Some ministries and state companies were used for illegal enrichment.
Specific examples she cites
She mentions several examples as insider stories:
- A candidate for a ministry job allegedly was asked to propose money-laundering schemes.
- A minister allegedly received cash in a bag rather than an official raise.
- The state energy company Naftogaz allegedly had its independent board removed and was turned into a vehicle for corruption.
- She says a recent energy-sector scandal involved tens of millions of dollars being siphoned off.
Yermak’s role
Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff and closest adviser, is portrayed as a key operator:
- Mendel describes him as highly manipulative and politically ruthless.
- She says he is skilled at turning Zelensky’s vague desires into practical power moves.
- She portrays the Zelensky-Yermak relationship as a toxic, paranoid partnership.
Authoritarianism, Fear, and Censorship
Democratic backsliding
Mendel says Ukraine has become increasingly autocratic under Zelensky:
- Elections are delayed or manipulated by martial law.
- Critics are labeled pro-Russian or traitors.
- People can be sanctioned by the government, have assets frozen, or face criminal charges.
- She claims political opponents, journalists, and bloggers are pressured or silenced.
Conscription and punishment
She also alleges that the war effort is being used as a tool of internal control:
- Men are grabbed off the streets and forced toward the front.
- Some critics are allegedly sent to the front line as punishment.
- Fear of imprisonment or retaliation keeps many insiders from speaking publicly.
Ukraine’s Human and Economic Collapse
Demographic decline
Mendel emphasizes Ukraine’s shrinking population:
- She estimates that around 10 million Ukrainians have left or been displaced.
- She says the country may now have only about 25 million people remaining.
- A large share of the remaining population is elderly and poor.
Living conditions
She describes severe hardship:
- Pensioners survive on extremely low monthly pensions.
- People struggle with heat, food, electricity, and water.
- Families and volunteers often supply soldiers with basic gear and even food.
- The war has caused extreme destruction, suffering, and brain drain.
Casualties and uncertainty
She says the true death toll is unknowable:
- Officially verified civilian deaths are far lower than what she believes the real number is.
- Military deaths are obscured by poor reporting and wartime conditions.
- She argues the scale of loss will never be fully documented.
Claims About Drugs and Personal Behavior
Mendel repeats long-running allegations about cocaine use, but carefully distinguishes between rumor and direct observation:
- She says she has not personally seen Zelensky take drugs.
- She says multiple people around him, including doctors and associates, told her he used cocaine.
- She describes erratic behavior, repeated bathroom breaks, and sudden shifts in energy before appearances.
- She links these claims to long-standing public allegations during his campaign.
Final Appeal to Putin
The interview ends with Mendel speaking directly in Russian to Vladimir Putin. Her message is a plea:
- She says she is not a threat and represents ordinary Ukrainians, not the West or NATO.
- She asks him to stop the war and stop drone attacks on civilians.
- She focuses on the suffering of elderly people, medical workers, and civilians in Kherson and frontline areas.
- She argues that peace would benefit both Ukrainians and Russians and that only Putin can stop the violence.
Main Takeaways
- The interview is a sweeping indictment of Zelensky’s leadership from a former insider.
- Mendel frames Zelensky as a power-seeker who uses war, propaganda, and fear to stay in office.
- She argues Ukraine has missed multiple chances for peace.
- The conversation portrays the Ukrainian state as exhausted, corrupt, and increasingly authoritarian.
- Her final message is that peace, not continued escalation, is the only viable path forward.