The quote attributed to Podolyak is a fabrication. It originated on a satirical Telegram channel that explicitly identifies itself as a publisher of “fakes,” and the image accompanying the posts was lifted from an earlier interview on an unrelated topic.
Posts circulating on social media attribute to Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukraine’s Office of the President, a statement that Ukraine is prepared to “defend Taiwan instead of the U.S.” in the event of a war with China. The posts quote him as claiming that Donald Trump’s recent statements have opened a “window of opportunity” for Ukraine to “lead the global agenda of fighting totalitarian regimes.”
No confirmation exists that Mykhailo Podolyak made any such statement. The quote has not appeared on any official Ukrainian platform or been reported by any credible Ukrainian or international outlet. A search for the exact phrasing returns primarily social media posts and Telegram channels recycling the same text — none of which cite an original source.
A review using the Osavul tool traced the quote to a Telegram channel called “а вот мой яндекс кошелек,” which published it on May 16. The channel’s own description is unambiguous: “parody, satire on political reality. verified fakes only.” The post was subsequently shared across other accounts without any acknowledgment of its satirical origins, presented instead as a genuine statement by a Ukrainian official.
To lend the posts an air of credibility, an image of Podolyak bearing the Novyny.LIVE logo was appended to the fabricated quote. The frame was not drawn from any broadcast related to Taiwan — it was taken from an interview published by Novyny.LIVE on Apr. 30, 2026, several weeks before the fake quote surfaced. The interview covered the negotiation process, possible timelines for ending the war, Ukraine’s reconstruction, robotic systems, and Ukrainian weaponry. No questions related to Taiwan, China, or Ukraine’s potential role in Taiwan’s defense were raised.
The fabrication surfaced against a specific backdrop. Following his visit to China and meeting with Xi Jinping, Donald Trump made a series of statements on Taiwan that drew widespread attention: he indicated he does not support a formal declaration of Taiwanese independence, urged Taiwanese leadership to de-escalate, and expressed reluctance to allow tensions with China to spiral. He also declined to provide a clear answer on the long-discussed American weapons package for Taiwan.
No official Ukrainian response to Trump’s statements framed Ukraine’s position in terms of defending Taiwan. Neither President Zelensky, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nor the Office of the President issued any comment in that context.
Attributing fabricated statements to Ukrainian officials is a recurring tactic. The aim is consistent: to mock Ukrainian authorities, portray Kyiv as an erratic and overreaching international actor, and fold the Ukrainian narrative into broader propaganda themes of “external management,” dependence on the U.S., and entanglement in conflicts beyond Ukraine’s borders.
StopFake has previously debunked a comparable fabrication in its reporting on the forged quote attributed to a Ukrainian diplomat claiming that Iran’s attack on Dubai constituted “an act of aggression against Ukraine.”
