Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday approved a law that placed previously independent anti-corruption agencies under executive control.
The reforms, the latest move by the presidential office to consolidate power within a circle of loyalists, have critics fearing Zelenskyy and his team could abuse their special wartime authority.
Hundreds protested in central Kyiv and other cities around Ukraine on Tuesday for the first time since Russian leader Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, upset by the move to ram through the legislation.
POLITICO breaks down what the fight is about:
What’s in the anti-corruption legislation?
The new law gives the office of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president, direct authority over the previously independent National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).
The NABU is tasked with investigating government corruption. The SAP is responsible for overseeing criminal investigations launched by the NABU.
The NABU, in a statement on Telegram prior to the bill being signed into law, outlined the sweeping new powers handed to the prosecutor general. They include the ability to access information related to all NABU cases; the right to give binding directives to NABU investigators and to transfer their cases if those directions aren’t followed; and the right to close investigations.
“If this bill is passed, the head of the SAP will become a nominal figure, and the NABU will lose its independence and become a subdivision of the Prosecutor General’s Office,” the NABU said, warning the legislation “could finally destroy the independence of the anti-corruption system in Ukraine.”
How does that undermine the anti-corruption bodies’ independence?
Placing oversight of watchdogs who probe allegations of government corruption in the hands of a politically appointed Zelenskyy loyalist — Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko — could erode the independence and veracity of those investigations, critics of the law argue.
How has Zelenskyy justified the move?
In a video address after signing the bill into law Tuesday night, Zelenskyy was defiant despite the widespread criticism and protests.
“The anti-corruption infrastructure will work, only without Russian influence — it needs to be cleared of that,” the president said. “Of course, the NABU and the SAP will work … the prosecutor general is determined to ensure that in Ukraine the inevitability of punishment for those who go against the law is actually ensured.”
The reference to weeding out Russian influence comes after Ukraine’s SBU state security service launched a series of raids Monday targeting NABU agents it alleges colluded with Russia.
Zelenskyy also criticized the NABU and the SAP over their handling of cases, insinuating the watchdogs were slow-walking certain probes.
“The cases that have been lying dormant must be investigated,” Zelenskyy said. “There is no rational explanation for why criminal proceedings worth billions have been left hanging for years.”
It’s worth noting that in an audit of the NABU published earlier this year, an expert commission convened by Transparency International Ukraine found it was only “moderately effective” and noted that it was not immune to political pressure. The auditors found shortcomings including the “absence of systematic monitoring of investigations in priority areas, the lack of authority to conduct independent wiretapping, and limited access to timely forensic examinations.”
On Wednesday morning, Zelenskyy said he’d met with the heads of all of Ukraine’s law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies — including the NABU and SOP — along with the prosecutor general.
“We all hear what society is saying. We see what people expect from state institutions — ensured justice and the effective functioning of each institution,” he said, giving no indication he planned to back down.
What do the watchdogs say?
Critics argue the evidence against the NABU agents is murky and Monday’s arrests were a pretext for undermining the watchdog.
In a statement, the NABU said amendments to the legislation “effectively destroy the independence of the NABU and SAP and effectively subordinate their activities to the prosecutor general.”
Referring to Ukraine’s hard-fought efforts to clean up government corruption since the 2014 Maidan Revolution, the NABU statement said: “Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure, built since 2015, will be destroyed” if the legislation is implemented.
The watchdog thanked Ukrainians for protesting against the reforms Tuesday, saying: “We will continue to work and defend the independence of our investigations from interference.”
In an earlier statement addressing Monday’s raids, the NABU said: “The risk of the presence of agents of influence from the aggressor country remains relevant for any government agency. However, this cannot be a reason to suspend the work of the entire institution.”
What does the prosecutor general say?
Kravchenko, whom Zelenskyy appointed to his role last month, insisted the watchdogs would maintain their independence.
“They are not subordinate to me,” he told a briefing on Tuesday, referring to both agencies. On the prosecutors of the SAP, he said “we will be one family. They will work on their criminal proceedings, and we will work on ours. And together we will help each other.”
He added: “The NABU does not report to me.”
How are Ukraine’s allies reacting?
Two members of the European Commission, normally staunch Ukraine backers, took the highly unusual step of criticizing Kyiv over the legislation on Tuesday.
Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said she was “seriously concerned,” noting, “The dismantling of key safeguards protecting NABU’s independence is a serious step back.”
And Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, who was in Washington attempting to make the case for increased U.S. support for Ukraine when the story broke, noted: “In war trust between the fighting nation and its leadership is more important than modern weapons — difficult to build and to keep, but easy to lose with one significant mistake by the leadership.”
He added: “Transparency & open European dialogue is the only way to repair the damaged trust.”
France’s European Minister Benjamin Haddad said in an interview on French radio: “It is not too late for Ukrainians to reverse this decision.”
In a statement, G7 envoys in the ambassadors’ support group in Ukraine said they have “serious concerns and intend to discuss these developments with government leaders.”
“This is a bad day for Ukraine,” said Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s former foreign minister who was ousted in 2024, in a post on Instagram Tuesday, before Zelenskyy signed the bill into law.
What does this mean for Ukraine’s EU accession process?
Ukraine’s EU allies are sounding the alarm that any potential backsliding on rule-of-law reforms could hurt Kyiv’s bid to join the bloc, a crucial goal for the war-struck country.
“Independent bodies like NABU & SAPO, are essential for [Ukraine’s] EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations,” Kos warned on Tuesday.
She later added that she had had “frank” discussions with new Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s EU integration lead. “We’ll continue working with Ukraine on the necessary rule of law reforms & progress on its EU path,” Kos posted on social media.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, echoing Kos, said in his own social media post: “Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions are vital to its reform path. Restricting them would be a significant setback. Safeguarding the independence of these institutions and continued progress on the rule of law remain key for Ukraine’s EU accession process.”
The German Foreign Office also addressed the matter, saying: “The independence and strength of Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions have been key to reform efforts of recent years. Ukraine will continue to be measured against their progress.”
A delegation from the European Parliament’s Budgetary Control Committee, in Kyiv for a two-day visit, warned in a statement that the Ukrainian legislation “risks undermining the independence” of the NABU and SAPO: “The independence of anti-corruption bodies is key to their success.”
The MEPs, while expressing support for Ukraine, nonetheless continued: “Complementary to the need to fight corruption is the need to respect the Rule of Law, which is a fundamental requirement of the EU accession process.”
What happens next?
The law, which Ukraine’s parliament waved through on Tuesday, is now in effect. But some opposition lawmakers are attempting to get it thrown out.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, from the liberal Holos party, said in a social media post that he would spend Wednesday lobbying international bodies including the EU, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to pressure Zelenskyy’s government into reversing course.
He said lawmakers would submit legislation seeking to annul the law — but acknowledged that was unlikely to succeed. MPs also plan to file a complaint with the constitutional court seeking a repeal.
“And then there’s the publicity. The [office of the president] figured everyone would forget about it by today. I don’t think they expected a reaction like yesterday’s,” Zhelezniak said.
Veronika Melkozerova and Yurii Stasiuk contributed to this report.
