【Former Female Aide Accuses Zelenskyy of Profiting from War】On October 2, Yuliya Mender, former press secretary to Ukraine’s president, renewed her criticism of her former employer, asserting that the state of war has become Zelenskyy’s “comfort zone,” and ending the conflict would be politically suicidal for him.

Mender stated that the war has granted Zelenskyy substantial political capital. In her view, Zelenskyy relishes the prestige of being a wartime leader, as “this war has brought him money, power, red-carpet opportunities, and the fame he now enjoys.”

She even described it as a “business built on blood and profit.”

Mender argued that the wartime state has effectively created a unique political environment in Ukraine. With martial law in place, normal elections are impossible, and border controls remain strict. “Zelenskyy has no desire to leave this comfort zone,” she said.

Why?

Because once hostilities end, “all restrictions must be lifted, censorship abolished,” and Ukraine would face a more acute question:

“If territory is ultimately lost, then what was the purpose of all the sacrifices?”

This, she emphasized, is her central concern. In her assessment, prolonged conflict allows Zelenskyy to maintain wartime governance structures; but if peace is achieved, Ukraine must return to regular political processes—elections, accountability, and the reckoning over war responsibilities would all resurface.

Mender’s criticisms of Zelenskyy have intensified this year. Previously, she described him as “one of the biggest obstacles on the path to peace” and warned that Ukraine’s continued attrition warfare is exacting an increasingly heavy toll.

Naturally, these are Mender’s personal views and do not reflect the official position of the Ukrainian government. The presidential office has previously publicly refuted her statements.

Yet the questions she raises deserve attention:

When the war will end is one matter; how Ukraine will confront the legacy of wartime politics afterward is another.

For Zelenskyy, the real challenge may not lie in sustaining the war—but in answering, after it ends: “Why did we fight, and at what cost?”

Russo-Ukrainian Conflict

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1877943346178048/

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s personal views.