EU Commission reveals what anti-corruption demands President von der Leyen set out in talks with Zelenskyy

The European Commission has reiterated that restoring the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) is crucial to Ukraine’s anti-corruption framework, ahead of an upcoming vote in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) on a draft law aimed at ensuring the independence of these bodies.

During a call with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 28 July, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a clear message: Ukraine must continue strengthening its democratic foundations as a future EU member and preserve the independence of its key anti-corruption institutions, which are cornerstones of the rule of law.

The Commission is urging the Verkhovna Rada to urgently adopt the bill to address the current challenges to NABU and SAPO's independence.

"The respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are fundamental elements of the European Union. They are at the core of the accession process and respond to the demands from the Ukrainian population. As a candidate country, Ukraine is expected to uphold these standards fully," the spokesperson said.

They stressed that "there cannot be compromise" and that the EU expects the Ukrainian authorities to "work hard to restore the trust of its citizens and its international partners through decisive steps on rule of law".

On 25 July, Verkhovna Rada Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk announced that the president's draft law to restore NABU and SAPO’s independence would be considered on 31 July.

Following the adoption of a law that placed these agencies under the control of the Prosecutor General, the EU reportedly issued a diplomatic warning to Kyiv of possible consequences should parliament fail to repeal the relevant provisions of draft law No 12414.

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