EU cuts aid to Ukraine due to corruption problems - NYT
The attack on anti-corruption bodies may cost Ukraine part of its aid from the European Union.
This is stated in the New York Times article "EU cuts aid to Ukraine over corruption", Censor.NET reports.
The publication reminded that on Friday, 25 July, the European Union announced that Ukraine would receive 1.5 billion euros less than planned because some reforms had not been implemented. However, the decision is not final, and the aid, which is part of a €50 billion EU fund, could still be reinstated if conditions are met.
"Zelenskyy has not publicly commented on the aid cut, which was nevertheless a setback for Ukraine's leader, who depends on European financial support to fill the gaps created by the Trump administration's refusal to fund Ukraine's war effort," the article says.
The NYT writes that Friday's decision seemed to signal the EU's readiness to admonish the Ukrainian government over its domestic policies during the war. It also raised questions about whether enthusiasm for Zelenskyy's figure among Ukraine's Western allies is beginning to wane.
James Wasserstrom, an American anti-corruption expert, said that "the lustre is definitely fading" from Zelenskyy's leadership among governments providing financial assistance. He added: "There is irritation with Zelenskyy in the donor community."
The EU's decision comes on the heels of a tumultuous week for Zelenskyy, who first pushed through a bill that stripped two anti-corruption bodies of their independence, sparking protests among Ukrainians and concern among foreign leaders.
Then, according to the newspaper, Zelensky reversed course, submitting a new bill to parliament to restore the agencies' independence. This calmed the street protests, but failed to prevent the reduction of EU aid.
The publication notes that the NABU and the SAPO investigated the activities of leading ministers of the Zelenskyy government. In particular, the article mentions the case of Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who was notified of corruption suspicion on 23 June.
In addition, the article mentions the government's refusal to appoint Oleksandr Tsyvinskyi, who was selected by an independent competition commission, as the head of the Bureau of Economic Security.
"The tension between Zelensky's team and anti-corruption investigators has also increased in another way: this year, an independent commission elected Oleksandr Tsyvinskyi, the chief detective in the Chernyshev case, to head the financial crime unit of the Bureau of Economic Security. But the Zelenskyy government refused to appoint him, leaving the position vacant," the article says.
The publication adds that the appointment of the BES head by Thursday is a condition for the International Monetary Fund to continue disbursing aid under a four-year, $15.6 billion assistance programme launched in 2023.
Earlier, it was reported that the tranche of financial assistance under the Ukraine Facility would be provided to Ukraine in a smaller amount than planned. This is because Ukraine has not implemented 3 out of 16 reforms promised to the EU.
