Zelenskiy Moves to Rein In Ukraine's Anti-Corruption Agencies
Zelenskiy signed a bill backed earlier by Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday, dismissing protests by the opposition and anti-graft groups and allies that such a move would set back the war-battered nation's efforts to fight corruption.
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CNN
19 minutes ago
- CNN
Ukraine sees first major anti-government protests since start of war, as Zelensky moves to weaken anti-corruption agencies
Ukraine has seen the first major anti-government protests since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion over three years ago, as a move by President Volodymyr Zelensky to curb anti-corruption agencies sparked fury across the nation. Defiant crowds gathered in the capital Kyiv on Tuesday, as well as Lviv in the west, with smaller groups gathering in Dnipro in the east and Odesa in the south, after Ukraine's Parliament — the Verkhovna Rada — approved a bill that grants oversight of two key anti-corruption agencies to the prosecutor general, a politically appointed figure. Critics say the move will hamper the two bodies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), and take Ukraine further away from its dream of joining the European Union. The EU has made it clear to Kyiv that it must implement strong anti-graft measures if it wants to become a member. The Biden administration urged the Ukrainian government to do more to root out corruption in 2023. Ukraine has long been seen as one of the most corrupt countries in Europe. Allegations of corruption have been wielded against some of the country's top officials, including several close allies of Zelensky – such as former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov. The bill was fast-tracked through the parliament and signed into law by Zelensky late Tuesday. The Ukrainian leader said in his nightly address that both organizations would 'continue to work' but defending his move as a necessary step to rid the two agencies of 'Russian influence.' This came after Ukrainian authorities raided one of the bodies on Monday and arrested two of its employees 'on suspicion of working for Russian special services.' He also criticized the previous system as leading to cases being stalled for years. But opponents say the two agencies will no longer be able to operate independently because the new law gives the prosecutor general power to influence investigations and even shut cases down. Criticism came from all corners of society. Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba slammed the move in a statement, calling Tuesday a 'bad day for Ukraine.' The move didn't go unnoticed on the frontlines, where the military is struggling to hold back Russian forces. Referring to corruption that the agencies were working to root out, Yegor Firsov, chief sergeant of a drone strike platoon, said on X that 'this is not a question of NABU or SAP. This is a question of barbarism,' adding that 'nothing is more demoralizing than seeing that while you are sitting in a trench, someone is robbing the country for which your brothers are dying.' Responding to the criticism on Wednesday, Zelensky said 'everyone would work solely in a constructive manner to resolve existing issues, deliver greater justice, and truly protect the interests of Ukrainian society.' The two agencies affected by the law, said in a joint statement on Wednesday that they were 'deprived of guarantees that previously enabled them to effectively carry out their tasks and functions in combating high-level corruption.' They called on the government to reverse the law. Crucially for Kyiv, the criticism is coming from both inside and outside of Ukraine, including from some of the country's key Western allies. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International, a leading independent nonprofit group that monitors corruption around the world, previously urged Zelensky to veto the new law. It said that the new law destroys Ukraine's independent anti-corruption institutions, which it said were 'one of the greatest achievements' since pro-European protests sparked the Revolution of Dignity in 2014 that ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych. The two agencies were both founded after the revolution, specifically to tackle corruption among Ukraine's top political echelon. NABU is in charge of investigation corruption allegations, passing them to SAPO to prosecute once it has gathered evidence. Transparency International also said the new law would undermine the trust of Ukraine's international partners, as a myriad of global organizations stepped in to criticize the law. Marta Kos, European Union's top official in charge of the process of admitting new member states, said she was 'seriously concerned' over the law. 'The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back. Independent bodies like NABU & SAPO, are essential for (the) EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations,' Kos said on X. Meanwhile, the American Chamber of Commerce said the move was disappointing. It said the law 'threatens the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure and undermines trust in the country's anti-corruption efforts.' The Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI), a leading Ukrainian think tank that focuses on democracy building and scrutinizes the work of the country's parliament, said in a statement that the new law is a '180-degree turn' in European integration efforts. ALI said the law gives the Ukrainian prosecutor general 'nearly unlimited powers,' including the authority to transfer cases to different prosecutors and effectively block any investigations by pushing through administrative obstacles. The prosecutors working for SAPO have gone through a rigorous selection process that included international expert advisors, ALI said, adding they have expertise that is unparalleled in other parts of the law enforcement system. ALI also said that while the law purports to be a response to the war and the current extraordinary circumstances, it envisions the oversight of the top prosecutor to continue for three years after Ukraine's martial law is lifted. Fighting rampant government corruption was Zelensky's main campaign pledge ahead of the 2019 election. A former comedian who played Ukraine's president on a hit TV show, Zelensky had zero political experience before his victory – but he tapped into voters' dismay on the issue. During the war, Zelensky has fired a slew of senior Ukrainian officials over corruption allegations, and his government has instigated anti-corruption measures, including the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. International organizations, including the EU, the United Nations and the Group of 7 have previously praised Zelensky's government for its anti-corruption efforts. But those same organizations are now denouncing the new law – while its critics in Ukraine say Zelensky's campaign platform to rid the country of corruption was simply empty promises. CNN's Victoria Butenko, Daria Tarasova-Markina and Max Saltman contributed reporting.
New York Times
20 minutes ago
- New York Times
Deferring to Trump, Senate Pulls Back on New Russia Sanctions
President Trump's threat to penalize Russia if it fails to reach a cease-fire with Ukraine has halted a bipartisan push in the Senate to impose harsh new sanctions on countries that do business with Moscow, effectively freezing an effort by Congress to apply overwhelming pressure on President Vladimir V. Putin. The pause comes as Russia's summer offensive against Ukraine is gaining ground and is the latest instance of the Republican-led Congress deferring to Mr. Trump even on matters on which lawmakers in both parties hold strong views. The legislation, cosponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, has the backing of 83 other senators, reflecting a rare bit of consensus in a polarized Congress around targeting Moscow with exceedingly strong penalties. It would slap sanctions of a minimum of 500 percent on imports from Russia or from any country that buys Russian uranium or oil products. But after initially saying the bill could come to a vote this month, Republican leaders have stepped back to allow Mr. Trump to pursue unilateral action. Their retreat came after the president said this month that he would impose tariffs of 100 percent on Russia and its trading partners if Mr. Putin did not agree to a cease-fire in 50 days — a threat that some analysts and experts doubt Mr. Trump will act on. 'The president, I think, has decided to move sort of unilaterally on that front,' Senator John Thune, Republican of South Dakota and the majority leader, said in an interview on Fox News, adding that Mr. Trump 'understands what it's going to take to get the Russians to the table. 'We want to work with him and be partners on that,' Mr. Thune added. 'And when he green-lights the legislation, we'll move forward with it.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CBS News
20 minutes ago
- CBS News
Zelenskyy faces mass protests, for first time since Russia war began, over changes to anti-corruption agencies
London — In a first since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than three years ago, widespread protests have taken place across Ukraine — not against Russia or its President Vladimir Putin, but against Ukraine's own President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the country's parliament, the Rada. Late Tuesday night, Zelenskyy signed a bill into law, after it was fast-tracked through the Rada, that gives Ukraine's prosecutor general (roughly equivalent to the U.S. attorney general), more power over two anti-corruption agencies long known for their fierce independence. The prosecutor general is a political appointee, not an elected official. In the hours before Zelenskyy signed the measure, thousands of people in the capital Kyiv, the western city of Lviv, Dnipro in the east and Odessa in the south made their frustration and fear known, defying martial law bans on mass gatherings to come out and protest. Their concern is rooted in the continued autonomy of Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), which for years have sought to combat graft by public officials, regardless of their political affiliation. Some critics argue the new law is political retribution. In April, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau charged a former deputy head of Zelenskyy's administration, Andrii Smyrnov, with money laundering and accepting a bribe. Others fear a potential backslide back into some degree of authoritarianism in the country that was previously led by pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was known for his close ties to oligarchs. The 27-nation European Union, which has been a staunch supporter of Zelenskyy and Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion, also voiced concern over the changes to the management of the anti-corruption agencies. Demonstrably fighting corruption is crucial to Ukraine's bid to join the EU. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called the vote by Ukraine's parliament "a serious step back" in a post on social media, adding that "independent bodies like NABU & SAPO are essential for Ukraine's EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations." Zelenskyy appeared to acknowledge the anger in his country over the new legislation, saying in a statement posted on social media after the Rada's vote: "We all hear what society is saying." "We see what people expect from state institutions — ensured justice and the effective functioning of each institution. We discussed the necessary administrative and legislative decisions that would strengthen the work of each institution, resolve existing contradictions, and eliminate threats," Zelenskyy said. "Everyone will work together. At the political level, we will provide support." Earlier he had stressed that the two anti-corruption agencies would still "work," but he said they needed to be clear of what he claimed was "Russian influence." He said some major corruption cases had been "lying dormant" with the agencies for years without any rational explanation, but offered no explanation of the alleged Russian influence. The Kremlin, meanwhile, confirmed that a third round of direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks would begin in Turkey on Wednesday evening. "Our delegation is flying to Istanbul, and indeed negotiations are scheduled to take place there tonight," said spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. "The main topic of discussion will be peace memorandums that were shared during the second round of talks." He said the two sides would discuss further prisoner swaps. Over the past two months, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged more than 1,000 prisoners of war, but the negotiations have thus far yielded little hope of a ceasefire in the war. On Tuesday, Peskov said Moscow did not expect any "miraculous breakthrough" in Turkey, calling the two sides "diametrically opposed." Moscow has demanded a litany of concessions from Ukraine, including that it give up territory Russian troops have seized during the war. Russia currently occupies about a fifth of Ukraine's territory. Putin's government has also demanded that Ukraine abandon its ambitions of joining the EU and the U.S.-led NATO alliance, and even insisted that it should significantly downsize its military and make Russian the official language of Ukraine.
