Zelenskyy denies speaking with von der Leyen after signing controversial NABU law

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he has not spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following the adoption of a controversial law that places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the control of the Prosecutor General.

As reported by Interfax-Ukraine, Zelenskyy denied having any communication with the European Commission President after the law was passed – contrary to earlier claims made by the European Commission’s spokesperson.

"I have not spoken with Ursula von der Leyen in recent days. Everything that was written about it, everything she allegedly said to me – it’s fake. We did not have a conversation," the president stated during a press briefing.

On 23 July, European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier expressed Brussels’ deep concern about the adopted law and said that von der Leyen had contacted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, voicing her serious concerns and requesting explanations from Kyiv.

On 24 July, the European Commission welcomed the Ukrainian authorities’ willingness to resolve the situation regarding SAPO and NABU, and noted it would continue working closely with Ukraine to ensure its concerns are properly addressed.