Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s move to undercut the independence of the country’s anti-corruption agencies has sparked a political crisis that could hurt Kyiv’s hopes of joining the European Union, analysts said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanded “explanations” from Zelenskyy about a law he signed Tuesday that critics say weakens Ukraine’s anti-graft watchdogs.
The measure has triggered nationwide protests and consternation in Brussels: One EU official characterized it as Zelenskyy’s biggest blunder since he took office in 2019.
The row puts Ukraine’s Western partners in a tricky position; they don’t want to risk explicitly calling out Kyiv, knowing that public criticism could be weaponized by the Kremlin, the Financial Times reported.
