In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Iuliia Mendel – who served as Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s spokesperson from 2019 to 2021 – urged the Ukrainian president to travel to Moscow for direct talks with President Vladimir Putin. Mendel argued that Zelenskyy’s early comedy career in Russia, where he performed on the popular KVN stage and earned his first millions, gives him personal connections that could help break the diplomatic deadlock.
Comedy roots as diplomatic leverage
“When Zelenskyy was an entertainer, he often performed in Moscow,” Mendel said. “He knows a lot of people from Putin’s elite, and he actually grew professionally in Moscow.” She added that Zelenskyy “pretends he has nothing in common with them” and that a face‑to‑face meeting could lead to compromises acceptable to both sides.
Mendel’s comments come as the United States, Ukraine and Russia prepare for another round of technical‑level peace talks, possibly in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland, later this month. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been working behind the scenes to lay the groundwork for direct leader‑to‑leader negotiations.
Trump’s role in recent cease‑fire efforts
The former aide also praised President Donald Trump for his recent diplomatic push. After Trump’s administration announced that First Lady Melania Trump helped broker a temporary cease‑fire in Oleshky, a Russian‑occupied town in Ukraine’s Kherson region, Mendel said many Ukrainians now see Trump as a hopeful third‑party facilitator.
“Melania Trump has become synonymous with a saver and a hero,” Mendel said. “Her involvement saved around 2,000 people who could not receive food, medicine or evacuation for months.” The White House confirmed the cease‑fire would begin on Oct. 29, with the possibility of starting as early as Oct. 27.
Historical context of Zelenskyy’s Russian ties
Zelenskyy’s entertainment career began in the late 1990s with the comedy troupe Kvartal 95. He later appeared on the Russian‑language program KVN and starred in several films that were marketed to Russian audiences. According to American film editor David Dodson, Zelenskyy was a “well‑loved comic” in Russia before the 2013‑14 Maidan Revolution shifted his political trajectory.
In 2013, his film “Eight First Dates” won the Russian National Movie Award for Best Russian Comedy. After the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in Donbas, Zelenskyy left the Russian entertainment scene and entered Ukrainian politics, winning the 2019 presidential election with roughly 73% of the runoff vote.
Current diplomatic stalemate
Since Russia’s full‑scale invasion in February 2022, peace negotiations have stalled over territorial concessions, security guarantees, and the terms of a lasting cease‑fire. Moscow continues to demand control of areas it does not fully hold, while Kyiv refuses to cede sovereign territory and insists on enforceable guarantees against future aggression.
In 2025, Putin offered to host Zelenskyy in Moscow, but the Ukrainian president declined, citing ongoing missile attacks on Ukrainian soil. Zelenskyy has repeatedly said he could meet in Kyiv, but not in Moscow while his country remains under fire.
Criticism of Zelenskyy’s diplomatic approach
Mendel also criticized Zelenskyy’s longtime adviser Andriy Yermak, accusing him of fostering a confrontational rather than a compromising diplomatic style. “It’s a diplomacy of humiliation, constant threats, and demands,” she said.
While Mendel acknowledges the personal animosity between the two leaders, she maintains that a direct meeting could cut through the political posturing that has prolonged the conflict.
What this means for U.S. involvement
President Trump’s administration continues to position itself as a key facilitator for peace, emphasizing the need for a strong third party to halt the devastation. The recent Oleshky cease‑fire, credited to the First Lady’s humanitarian effort, is presented as a tangible example of U.S. influence.
As negotiations move forward, both Ukrainian and Russian officials are watching closely to see whether Zelenskyy will heed the call to meet Putin in Moscow, and whether President Trump’s diplomatic push will gain further traction.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
