Key events
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Morning opening: Ukraine faces criticism over anti-corruption agencies reform
Jakub Krupa
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s decision to approve a contentious bill weakening Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies is facing growing criticism at home and abroad – just hours before another round of peace talks with Russia in Istanbul.
Last night, around 1,500 people protested against the reform in Kyiv, first urging him to veto the bill, and then opposing his decision to sign it into law. Large protests also took place in other cities.
As my colleague Luke Harding reported from Kyiv, in his nightly video address, Zelenskyy said he had spoken with the Nabu chief, Semen Kryvonos, and other top prosecutors.
Anti-corruption bodies, Zelenskyy said, would continue to function “but without any Russian influence. It all must be cleansed.”
“There must be more justice. Of course, Nabu and Sapo will continue their work,” he said. “It’s also important that the prosecutor general be committed to ensuring real accountability for those who break the law. This is what Ukraine truly needs.”
But international criticism of the reform could prove equally tricky, with EU commissioners and ministers from allied countries also coming out against the reform.
Enlargement commissioner Marta Kos said the EU was “seriously concerned” about the law, warning that “the dismantling of key safeguards protecting Nabu’s independence is a serious step back.”
“Independent bodies like Nabu & Sapo, are essential for ’s EU path. Rule of Law remains in the very center of EU accession negotiations,” she said.
She later added she had a “frank” conversation with the new Ukrainian prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko.
EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius added:
“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. Transparency & open European dialogue is the only way to repair the damaged trust.”
This morning the reactions continue, with France’s European minister Benjamin Haddad saying it was not too late 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.”
Elsewhere, I will be keeping an eye on the peace talks in Istanbul, the government reshuffle in Poland, and the meeting of France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz in Berlin tonight.
I will bring you all key updates from across Europe today.
It’s Wednesday, 23 July 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
