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| Pressure builds on Zelenskyy over corruption agency changes as protests continue | Pressure builds on Zelenskyy over corruption agency changes as protests continue |
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| European leaders urge Ukraine to uphold EU standards after president backs legislation weakening anti-graft watchdogs | European leaders urge Ukraine to uphold EU standards after president backs legislation weakening anti-graft watchdogs |
| European leaders piled pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday to reverse a contentious decision to weaken the powers of two anti-corruption agencies, as demonstrators took to the streets of Kyiv for a second day. | European leaders piled pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday to reverse a contentious decision to weaken the powers of two anti-corruption agencies, as demonstrators took to the streets of Kyiv for a second day. |
| Ukraine’s European backers including Germany, France and Sweden raised concerns about new legislation, which the Ukrainian president approved on Tuesday night. They warned it could hamper Kyiv’s attempt to join the EU and hinder the fight against corruption. | Ukraine’s European backers including Germany, France and Sweden raised concerns about new legislation, which the Ukrainian president approved on Tuesday night. They warned it could hamper Kyiv’s attempt to join the EU and hinder the fight against corruption. |
| The bill – hastily endorsed by Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday – in effect places the agencies under government control. They are the national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (Sapo). | The bill – hastily endorsed by Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday – in effect places the agencies under government control. They are the national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (Sapo). |
| Zelenskyy has defended the changes, saying they were needed to clean Ukraine’s “anti-corruption infrastructure” of Russian connections. They give sweeping powers to the prosecutor general’s office, which now can close down cases against top officials. | Zelenskyy has defended the changes, saying they were needed to clean Ukraine’s “anti-corruption infrastructure” of Russian connections. They give sweeping powers to the prosecutor general’s office, which now can close down cases against top officials. |
| On Wednesday, he convened a meeting with the heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies at his presidential office in Kyiv. They had agreed to work constructively and to come up with a joint plan of action next week to strengthen Ukraine, he said. | On Wednesday, he convened a meeting with the heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies at his presidential office in Kyiv. They had agreed to work constructively and to come up with a joint plan of action next week to strengthen Ukraine, he said. |
| But Zelenskyy did not directly address criticism from civil society activists, who accuse him of mounting a power-grab and of falling to listen. Veterans, Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, and other prominent figures have called on the president to repeal the bill. | But Zelenskyy did not directly address criticism from civil society activists, who accuse him of mounting a power-grab and of falling to listen. Veterans, Kyiv’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko, and other prominent figures have called on the president to repeal the bill. |
| Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, also voiced her unhappiness about the legislative amendments. She had asked Ukraine’s president for explanations and had conveyed to him her strong concerns, her spokesperson said. | Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, also voiced her unhappiness about the legislative amendments. She had asked Ukraine’s president for explanations and had conveyed to him her strong concerns, her spokesperson said. |
| They added: “The respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are core elements of the European Union. As a candidate country, Ukraine is expected to uphold these standards fully. There cannot be a compromise.” | They added: “The respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are core elements of the European Union. As a candidate country, Ukraine is expected to uphold these standards fully. There cannot be a compromise.” |
| In a pointed message to Kyiv, the EU’s defence commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, said trust during wartime was “easy to lose with one significant mistake by the leadership … Transparency and open European dialogue is the only way to repair [it].” | In a pointed message to Kyiv, the EU’s defence commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, said trust during wartime was “easy to lose with one significant mistake by the leadership … Transparency and open European dialogue is the only way to repair [it].” |
| France’s European minister, Benjamin Haddad, said there was still time for Ukraine to reverse its decision. “It is not too late to go back on this,” he told France Inter radio. “We will be extremely vigilant on the subject.” | France’s European minister, Benjamin Haddad, said there was still time for Ukraine to reverse its decision. “It is not too late to go back on this,” he told France Inter radio. “We will be extremely vigilant on the subject.” |
| It is unclear if Zelenskyy will give in to pressure at home and abroad, or try to tough out what is turning into the biggest domestic political crisis of his premiership. Tuesday’s street protests, which took place in several cities, were the first since Vladimir Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion. | It is unclear if Zelenskyy will give in to pressure at home and abroad, or try to tough out what is turning into the biggest domestic political crisis of his premiership. Tuesday’s street protests, which took place in several cities, were the first since Vladimir Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion. |
| Civil-society leaders have accused the presidential administration of violating an informal contract with society. They say the agreement with government – that it was inappropriate to criticise official abuses because of the war with Russia – is definitively over. | Civil-society leaders have accused the presidential administration of violating an informal contract with society. They say the agreement with government – that it was inappropriate to criticise official abuses because of the war with Russia – is definitively over. |
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| About 1,500 demonstrators gathered directly outside Zelenskyy’s administration complex on Tuesday evening, shouting slogans beneath his window. They included “shame”, “we are the power”, and “veto the law”. They held up anti-government banners, one of which read: “Are you fucking crazy?” | About 1,500 demonstrators gathered directly outside Zelenskyy’s administration complex on Tuesday evening, shouting slogans beneath his window. They included “shame”, “we are the power”, and “veto the law”. They held up anti-government banners, one of which read: “Are you fucking crazy?” |
| Posting on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukrainians faced a “common enemy” in the shape of “Russian occupiers”. Of public criticism, he said: “We all hear what society says. We see what people expect from state institutions to ensure justice and the efficiency of each institution.” | Posting on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukrainians faced a “common enemy” in the shape of “Russian occupiers”. Of public criticism, he said: “We all hear what society says. We see what people expect from state institutions to ensure justice and the efficiency of each institution.” |
| Yuri Sak, a former adviser to Ukraine’s defence ministry, said Ukrainians had a strong historical tradition of protesting against anything that resembled authoritarianism or dictatorship, in Soviet times and today. | Yuri Sak, a former adviser to Ukraine’s defence ministry, said Ukrainians had a strong historical tradition of protesting against anything that resembled authoritarianism or dictatorship, in Soviet times and today. |
| “It’s in our DNA. We have a very good sense for where the red line is, and for when people cross this line. If anyone tries to tighten their grip on power people pour into the streets,” he said, citing the uprisings in 2004 and 2014 against perceived government misrule. | “It’s in our DNA. We have a very good sense for where the red line is, and for when people cross this line. If anyone tries to tighten their grip on power people pour into the streets,” he said, citing the uprisings in 2004 and 2014 against perceived government misrule. |
| Sak likened the collective mood to the air raid alerts that sound most evenings, when Kyiv and other cities came under Russian missile attack. “Whenever we see authoritarianism on the move, a silent siren goes off in Ukrainian heads,” he suggested. | Sak likened the collective mood to the air raid alerts that sound most evenings, when Kyiv and other cities came under Russian missile attack. “Whenever we see authoritarianism on the move, a silent siren goes off in Ukrainian heads,” he suggested. |