Macron and Costa tried to dissuade Zelenskyy from signing NABU and SAPO law – FT
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President António Costa reportedly tried to dissuade Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from signing the law restricting the powers of NABU and SAPO.
This was reported by the Financial Times, citing sources, according to Censor.NET.
According to the newspaper, Macron and Costa called Zelenskyy on July 22 "at the last minute" in an attempt to dissuade him from taking this step.
G7 ambassadors in Kyiv also urged a reconsideration of the decision during a meeting the same day with Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and SSU head Vasyl Maliuk.
The publication reports that diplomats were held in a closed room without phones for over two hours — one of them described this as an attempt to "shut them up" and prevent them from informing their governments about the rapid developments in Kyiv.
Additionally, an anonymous Servant of the People MP told journalists how lawmakers were gathered for the vote on the bill restricting NABU and SAPO’s powers.
According to him, the Presidential Office ordered MPs to urgently return to the capital for an extraordinary session on July 22. Servant of the People deputies were told that the "boss" was closely watching them and recording any signs of resistance.
Scandalous law No. 12414 on NABU and SAPO
Recall that the Verkhovna Rada passed Bill 12414, which eliminates the independence of the NABU and the SAPO on July 2025.
In the evening, President Zelenskyy signed it.
NABU Director Semen Kryvonos called on the President not to sign the bill, as it would make NABU and SAPO dependent.
In Dnipro, people protested against the adoption of draft law 12414 by the Verkhovna Rada, which effectively means the elimination of the independence of the NABU and the SAPO.
A protest also began in Kyiv.
In a video address, Zelenskyy later stated that the anti-corruption infrastructure in Ukraine would work. On 23 July, the law limiting the powers of the NABU and the SAPO came into force.
Later, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that on July 23 he gathered all heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies and agreed with them on constructive cooperation.
Zelenskyy also said that he would submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada that would "ensure the strength of the law enforcement system".
On July 24, draft law No. 13531 was registered in the Rada, which will abolish the elimination of NABU and SAPO’s independence.
Subsequently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the draft law guaranteeing the independence of the anti-corruption agencies.
