Volodymyr Zelensky's former press secretary says the guy's a good leader during war for a couple of reasons -- including the fact he's a legal eagle.
We talked to Iuliia Mendel Monday -- who served as the Ukrainian President's spokesperson for two years after he was elected in 2019 -- and she told us what she and the rest of Zelensky's team saw in him then that the rest of the world is witnessing firsthand now.
For starters, she reveals that Zelensky was actually a lawyer in his past life -- before he was even a comedian/actor -- and that certainly plays into why he's so savvy in this difficult time.
Mendel explains her former boss' diverse background has helped him navigate what's going on with Russia ... and why he's even been willing to head to the front lines of the fighting to show support both to his troops and people, but also to negotiate as needed.
Then comes a somewhat difficult question ... what if all the backing from the world that Ukraine has received thus far simply isn't enough to fend off the Russians?
She answers that with poise and class, telling us what Ukraine needs ... and what it'll settle for when it comes to reinforcements. Zelensky himself has made clear he'd love boots on the ground, but there's an alternative Mendel lays out that might be a middle ground for all.