Julia Mendel Says She Was Denied Entry to European Parliament Ahead of AfD Event
Julia Mendel, a former press secretary to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said she was not allowed to enter the European Parliament building in Strasbourg on September 16, 2026. She had been scheduled to speak at an event organized by members of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
According to Mendel, she was informed several hours before the event that she would not be able to enter the building, without being given detailed reasons for the decision.
Mendel reported the incident on social media and linked it to recent decisions by the Ukrainian authorities. She said the event would go ahead and argued that she represents a significant part of Ukrainian society seeking a peaceful settlement.
The event, titled “Ukraine. Dare for Peace. Diplomacy, Not Escalation,” was organized by AfD representatives and was not an official session of the European Parliament. It was scheduled to take place in one of the Parliament’s buildings in Strasbourg at the initiative of German lawmakers.
On September 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a decision by the National Security and Defense Council imposing personal sanctions on Mendel. Ukrainian authorities accused her of spreading disinformation and Russian propaganda. The sanctions were introduced under Presidential Decree No. 901/2026.
Mendel called the sanctions imposed against her unconstitutional and pointed to the fact that the decision was made only a few days before her scheduled appearance in Strasbourg.
In recent months, Mendel has increasingly criticized the Ukrainian authorities. In May 2026, she also gave an interview to Tucker Carlson in which she called for a swift peaceful settlement of the conflict.
