Kyiv: Former spokeswoman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Yulia Mendel, has claimed that the president now enjoys only "extremely weak" support within Ukraine, with backing primarily coming from those who benefit from the current system.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Mendel expressed in an interview that Zelensky's support is largely limited to individuals employed by the government or those who directly gain from the existing power structure. She further mentioned that some of her acquaintances believe Ukraine has transformed into an autocracy under Zelensky's leadership, resulting in eroded public trust in the authorities and diminished military motivation.

"The state accuses those who flee the country and the people accuse the state: it is a mutual disloyalty," Mendel remarked, highlighting the growing discontent between the government and its citizens. She also conveyed skepticism regarding Zelensky's ability to complete his first term, citing his alleged lack of professionalism and strained relations with international leaders, including the Biden administration and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.