Latest news with #MartaKos
NBC News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Ukraine's parliament passes bill weakening anti-corruption agencies
'In effect, if this bill becomes law, the head of SAPO will become a nominal figure, while NABU will lose its independence and turn into a subdivision of the prosecutor general's office,' the agencies said in a joint statement on Telegram. The bill goes to Zelenskyy for his signature or veto. In a post on X, the EU's Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos expressed concern over the vote in the Rada, calling it 'a serious step back.' Kos added: 'Independent bodies like NABU & SAPO are essential for Ukraine's EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations.' The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticized parliament's decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014 and damages trust with international partners. The group urged Zelenskyy to veto the law, warning that otherwise he would share responsibility with the Rada for 'dismantling Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure.' On Monday, Ukraine's domestic security agency detained two NABU officials on suspicion of links to Russia and searched other agency employees on unrelated allegations.
France 24
7 hours ago
- Politics
- France 24
EU says Ukraine's blocks on anti-graft bodies 'a serious step back'
The EU's enlargement commissioner on Tuesday slammed a vote by Ukrainian lawmakers to remove the independence of two anti-corruption bodies in the war-torn country. "Seriously concerned over today's vote in the Rada. The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back," Marta Kos wrote on X, using the initials of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. Kos said the independence of the agency, and of an anti-graft prosecutor's office, were "essential for Ukraine's EU path". Ukrainian MPs on Tuesday approved amendments to remove the independence of two anti-corruption bodies, a day after the arrest of an official working in one of the agencies. Ukraine has stepped up its anti-graft measures over the past decade in a bid to join the EU, but corruption scandals continue to plague the country, even after the Russian invasion. Despite widespread criticism from NGOs and rights groups, parliament voted 263 to 13 to place two government anti-corruption agencies, the NABU and SAPO, under the direct authority of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed by the president. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) finds and investigates instances of corruption among state institutions while the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) prosecutes corruption. The EU said earlier that it was "concerned about Ukraine's recent action with regard to its anti-corruption institutions", emphasising that the European body "provides significant financial assistance to Ukraine, conditional on progress in transparency, judicial reform and democratic governance". The Anti-Corruption Action Center, a Ukrainian NGO, said that the law essentially made the anti-corruption agencies meaningless as leader Volodymyr "Zelensky's Prosecutor General will stop investigations into all of the president's friends". On Monday, law enforcement conducted large-scale raids at the NABU, detaining one employee on suspicion of spying for Russia. Transparency International's Ukraine office called the raids an "attempt by the authorities to undermine the independence of Ukraine's post-Revolution of Dignity anti-corruption institutions". The NABU began work in 2015, after a 2014 pro-European protest movement dubbed the Revolution of Dignity, as part of reforms designed to move Kyiv closer to Europe as it fought Moscow-backed separatists in its east. Transparency International ranked Ukraine 105 out of 180 countries in its "corruption perceptions index" in 2024, up from 144 in 2013.
DW
8 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Ukraine: EU concerned about Kyiv's anti-corruption bodies – DW – 07/22/2025
Ukrainian lawmakers voted to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence. This could impede Ukraine's progress toward the EU, which has already expressed concern about the move. DW has the European Union's enlargement commissioner criticized a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence. Marta Kos stressed that the independence of he National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and an anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path." Meanwhile, Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an interview that she is likely to discuss a fresh loan program with the IMF next month. Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold the third round of peace talks in Istanbul on European Union's enlargement commissioner criticised a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of independence. "Seriously concerned over today's vote in the Rada. The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back," Marta Kos wrote on X, in reference to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. Kos stressed that the independence of the agency and an anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path." Kyiv has been adamant to accelerate its membership in the bloc, especially since the 2022 Russian invasion. Ukraine's lawmakers voted in favor of amendments that would remove the independence of two anti-corruption bodies in the country. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is the entity investigating corruption allegations within state institutions. The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) prosecutes corruption cases. Both NABU and SAPO were placed under the direct supervision of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed by the president. This comes a day after a NABU employee was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia. The move triggered criticism both at home and internationally, with the EU saying it was "concerned" with the decision. Ukrainian NGO The Anti-Corruption Action Center said the amendments made the two agencies meaningless, adding the country's Prosecutor General "will stop investigations into" President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "friends." France's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, visited the Ukrainian border region of Kharkiv in the northeastern part of the country on Tuesday. While walking through Kharkiv's city center, Barrot witnessed the current situation in the city, which is regularly being targeted by Russia, whose forces are some 30 kilometers away. Speaking during his visit, Barrot accused Russia of "deliberately" targeting civilians and residential areas, in a bid to "undermine Ukrainian morale." 1.4 million people lived in Kharkiv before Russia's full-scale invasion into Ukraine in 2022. As Russia steps up its attacks on Ukraine, the Kremlin is once again seeking help from North Korea. South Korean intelligence reports that the country has already sent Russia 28,000 containers filled with weapons and artillery shells. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ukraine's delegation for the peace talks with Russia will be headed by the country's ex-Defense Minister and current secretary of the security council Rustem Umerov, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The talks are scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Istanbul, in the same venue where previous talks between the two sides took place, with the Kremlin saying that there is no reason to expect a "miraculous breakthrough" in the talks. This comes after US President Donald Trump's threat to impose "severe" sanctions on Russia should a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine not be reached in 50 days. A 10-year-old boy was killed in Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, the authorities in the city of Kramatorsk say. According to city mayor Alexander Goncharenko, guided glide bombs launched by Russia hit a residential building in Kramatorsk, located in eastern Ukraine. The city is located in the area of Donetsk that remains under Ukrainian control three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Glide bombs have a range of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles), and their use by the Russian army is made possible by the front moving closer and closer to Kramatorsk. Ukraine's new Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said she will likely seek fresh financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cushion the country's fiscal needs in its defense against Russia's war, according to a report by Bloomberg. The report outlined that global donors have so far only earmarked half of the estimated $75 billion (€64.2 billion) budget that the war-strained country requires over the next two years. With the IMF's roughly $16 billion loan program set to expire in 2027, new discussions will likely be held at a lender's review planned for August, especially since the end to the war is not in sight, she told the media house. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Minister took to messaging app Telegram, saying the country will need at least $120 billion for defense spending next year and that negotiations were ongoing with NATO and the EU over $60 billion in funding from partners. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On Monday, the UK and Germany led a virtual meeting on how to help Ukraine acquire the weapons it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he will "contribute to providing" five Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, DW's Teri Schultz reported from Brussels. This includes two systems Berlin had previously discussed, with an additional one expected to be financed by Norway. It is not clear whether Germany would pay for the remaining two defense systems itself, or if it will seek contributions from other NATO members. Meanwhile, Ukraine's former prime minister and newly appointed Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who was also part of the meeting, said Kyiv needs more than $6 billion (€5.1 billion) worth of additional military spending to increase its own weapons production. The UK imposed new sanctions on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" which will target 135 oil tankers and two Russian companies involved in circumventing oil sanctions on Moscow. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of talks on Wednesday. Two previous rounds held in Istanbul failed to yield any meaningful progress on a ceasefire. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine. Both Ukraine and Russia continue to exchange drones and missiles, aiming at each other's capital cities. Overnight Monday, Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv, just hours before the UK and Germany chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the US' plans for NATO allies to provide Ukraine with weapons it needs. Stay tuned for the latest news and analysis from the ongoing war.
DW
8 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
Ukraine: EU concerned over Kyiv's anti-corruption bodies – DW – 07/22/2025
Ukrainian lawmakers voted to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence. This could impede Ukraine's progress toward the EU, which has already expressed concern about the move. DW has the European Union's enlargement commissioner criticized a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of their independence. Marta Kos stressed that the independence of he National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and an anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path." Meanwhile, Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an interview that she is likely to discuss a fresh loan program with the IMF next month. Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold the third round of peace talks in Istanbul on European Union's enlargement commissioner criticised a vote in the Ukrainian parliament to strip two anti-corruption bodies of independence. "Seriously concerned over today's vote in the Rada. The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU's independence is a serious step back," Marta Kos wrote on X, in reference to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine. Kos stressed that the independence of the agency and an anti-graft prosecutor's office were "essential for Ukraine's EU path." Kyiv has been adamant to accelerate its membership in the bloc, especially since the 2022 Russian invasion. Ukraine's lawmakers voted in favor of amendments that would remove the independence of two anti-corruption bodies in the country. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) is the entity investigating corruption allegations within state institutions. The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) prosecutes corruption cases. Both NABU and SAPO were placed under the direct supervision of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed by the president. This comes a day after a NABU employee was arrested on suspicion of spying for Russia. The move triggered criticism both at home and internationally, with the EU saying it was "concerned" with the decision. Ukrainian NGO The Anti-Corruption Action Center said the amendments made the two agencies meaningless, adding the country's Prosecutor General "will stop investigations into" President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's "friends." France's top diplomat, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, visited the Ukrainian border region of Kharkiv in the northeastern part of the country on Tuesday. While walking through Kharkiv's city center, Barrot witnessed the current situation in the city, which is regularly being targeted by Russia, whose forces are some 30 kilometers away. Speaking during his visit, Barrot accused Russia of "deliberately" targeting civilians and residential areas, in a bid to "undermine Ukrainian morale." 1.4 million people lived in Kharkiv before Russia's full-scale invasion into Ukraine in 2022. As Russia steps up its attacks on Ukraine, the Kremlin is once again seeking help from North Korea. South Korean intelligence reports that the country has already sent Russia 28,000 containers filled with weapons and artillery shells. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Ukraine's delegation for the peace talks with Russia will be headed by the country's ex-Defense Minister and current secretary of the security council Rustem Umerov, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. The talks are scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Istanbul, in the same venue where previous talks between the two sides took place, with the Kremlin saying that there is no reason to expect a "miraculous breakthrough" in the talks. This comes after US President Donald Trump's threat to impose "severe" sanctions on Russia should a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine not be reached in 50 days. A 10-year-old boy was killed in Russian airstrikes on Ukraine, the authorities in the city of Kramatorsk say. According to city mayor Alexander Goncharenko, guided glide bombs launched by Russia hit a residential building in Kramatorsk, located in eastern Ukraine. The city is located in the area of Donetsk that remains under Ukrainian control three years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Glide bombs have a range of up to 40 kilometers (25 miles), and their use by the Russian army is made possible by the front moving closer and closer to Kramatorsk. Ukraine's new Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said she will likely seek fresh financing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cushion the country's fiscal needs in its defense against Russia's war, according to a report by Bloomberg. The report outlined that global donors have so far only earmarked half of the estimated $75 billion (€64.2 billion) budget that the war-strained country requires over the next two years. With the IMF's roughly $16 billion loan program set to expire in 2027, new discussions will likely be held at a lender's review planned for August, especially since the end to the war is not in sight, she told the media house. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Defense Minister took to messaging app Telegram, saying the country will need at least $120 billion for defense spending next year and that negotiations were ongoing with NATO and the EU over $60 billion in funding from partners. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On Monday, the UK and Germany led a virtual meeting on how to help Ukraine acquire the weapons it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he will "contribute to providing" five Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine, DW's Teri Schultz reported from Brussels. This includes two systems Berlin had previously discussed, with an additional one expected to be financed by Norway. It is not clear whether Germany would pay for the remaining two defense systems itself, or if it will seek contributions from other NATO members. Meanwhile, Ukraine's former prime minister and newly appointed Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, who was also part of the meeting, said Kyiv needs more than $6 billion (€5.1 billion) worth of additional military spending to increase its own weapons production. The UK imposed new sanctions on Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" which will target 135 oil tankers and two Russian companies involved in circumventing oil sanctions on Moscow. Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine and Russia will hold another round of talks on Wednesday. Two previous rounds held in Istanbul failed to yield any meaningful progress on a ceasefire. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Welcome to DW's coverage of the latest developments in Russia's war in Ukraine. Both Ukraine and Russia continue to exchange drones and missiles, aiming at each other's capital cities. Overnight Monday, Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial assaults on Kyiv, just hours before the UK and Germany chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the US' plans for NATO allies to provide Ukraine with weapons it needs. Stay tuned for the latest news and analysis from the ongoing war.
DW
11-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
EU Commissioner: 'EU membership is about peace' – DW – 07/11/2025
Marta Kos from Slovenia is the EU Commissioner for Enlargement. DW spoke to her about the issue of EU enlargement and the accession prospects of Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine and other European Kos: I grew up in communist Yugoslavia and when my country, Slovenia, decided to declare independence, the biggest wish was to belong to a community of values and democracy. So, right from the beginning, from when we gained independence in 1991, we fought for this. When Slovenia became a member of the EU in 2004, it was one of the happiest days of my life. Slovenia is a country of only 2 million people and 20,000 square kilometers. What can a small country do alone in this world where you really need allies? You have to connect to have some strength in the world. The EU has brought all this, and I'm so happy that the citizens of Slovenia still support it a What we have learned is that EU membership is not something that comes just like that, but something you really have to fight for. And it is very important that the leadership of the [candidate] country really supports this, because the accession process is a transition process. We now have some candidate countries where the leadership is really very supportive. But if the leadership is not doing this, how can citizens believe — or should believe — that EU membership is something good? The second lesson is that it is not only about the economy. When Slovenia became a member, we saw our membership mostly through the lens of prosperity. But today, EU membership is about peace. Can you imagine that in 2025, we are speaking again about the fact that the EU is there to provide peace in Europe or freedom or security, too? These are actually the basics, the reason why the EU was It's amazing what the Ukrainians are doing today. While the bombs are falling on their country, they are negotiating EU accession. They are doing necessary reforms — and there are a lot of reforms to do. So, we are ready to open Cluster One on fundamentals. And by the end of the year, we will be ready to open all clusters, which means that then, the real work of the negotiations will be possible. Actually, the conflict with Russia didn't start in 2022 when the war started. It started in 2014 when Ukraine wanted to sign a free trade agreement with the EU and somebody — Putin's regime — opposed it. I will do everything I can that Ukraine will become a member of the EU — as our president Ursula von der Leyen says, perhaps even before This is very good question, which I get asked many times. So, in the sense of what is more important — geopolitical and security needs on the one hand and the merit-based principle on the other — both are important, but we cannot afford to have countries or new member states that are not ready for the European economic market and, of course, to be able to defend democracy and the rule of law. That's why, of course, the merit-based principle will remain a cornerstone of the accession process, because through this process, we actually prepare the countries in many, many fields, especially in the field of media freedom or the whole rule of law It is unprecedented how aggressive Russian propaganda is, especially in Moldova. They [Russia] are investing millions of euros to stop Moldova from going the European way. But the EU has also got smarter over the last years. So, for the first time we are now deploying what we call the Hybrid Rapid Response Team from the EEAS [European External Action Service] with experts from some member states, and we are helping Moldova, together with their government, to fight the Russian narratives. They are very aggressive and they are spreading lies in the sense of "if you go the European way, there will be the war the same as in Ukraine. If you will become a member of the EU, you will lose your identity." I come from a country that is smaller than Moldova and actually membership of the EU is preserving our identity. This is a new approach, and we are really helping a lot in building a strong basis for being a member of the EU, both for Ukraine and Moldova and also the Western Balkan Serbia is in a very difficult situation, and we, the EU, are very much supportive of the European way of Serbia and the Serbian people. But there is a lot that still needs to be done. Even if Serbia has been a candidate country for many years, they haven't done all the reforms yet. So, we are helping them do these reforms. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video On the other hand, the protests we have been seeing now for some months are an expression that people are not happy with the situation they are in. And every government should consider what its own citizens are saying. To some extent, the protesters are demanding the same as we — the EU — are demanding from Serbia, meaning: anti-corruption [measures], the rule of law, media freedom. So, actually, we have a common interest here, and I hope that we will be able to really stabilize This is an interesting observation. I'm in constant touch with civil society organizations, professors and universities in Serbia and I asked many, many people this same question. What they told me was very interesting. The first thing was: "You are supporting President Vucic. Second, you bombed us. Okay, it was NATO but you bombed our country. Third, you want us to recognize Kosovo, and fourth, we don't want to make Russia angry." So, the answers go in very different directions. These are the sentiments we also have to consider when — and this is the plan — better communicating the benefits of EU Yes, this is indeed the question. I like to say that once the country decides to take the EU path, it comes with obligations and responsibilities. So, it is a choice. Nobody is forcing Serbia. But once you say "yes, we want to become a member of the EU," then it has to be done. Many things have to be done. I hope that we will be able to better explain the benefits of enlargement or why the EU is good for In the accession process we need unanimous decisions, which means that all 27 member states have to agree with a decision. There was a public consultation in Hungary where politicians told us that the people are against Ukrainian membership of the EU. But I can tell you, we also conducted a survey in Eurobarometer, which has not been published yet, where 64% or 65% of citizens in Hungary support enlargement. So, dialogue, constructive dialogue, finding a solution, this is the only way out of this situation. We are talking to Hungary, and I hope that we will find the solution together with the other member We don't have a plan for Orban, we have a plan for the accession process and there, we will find a solution.
