Ukrainian resistance to Russia’s brutal invasion deserves strong international support, but it cannot be unconditional. A new law signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky to undermine the country’s anti-corruption efforts weakens the strong case he has made in other respects for support of Ukraine.
Ukrainians deserve immense credit for the courageous defense of their freedom. They have lost 100,000 of their brothers and sisters since Vladimir Putin’s onslaught began in February of 2022.
But a free and open society requires protection not simply from foreign invaders but also from internal enemies. And since Ukraine’s restoration of sovereignty in 1991, its foremost internal enemy has been corruption.
Too many Ukrainian politicians have spent decades raiding state accounts and cultivating relationships with business interests that trade government contracts for lucrative kickbacks. Unfortunately, Zelensky’s record and that of his predecessor, Petro Poroshenko, are weak on confronting this scourge. Until today, Zelensky has focused his anti-corruption efforts on placating Ukraine’s international supporters with occasional flashy actions. Now, however, he is backtracking on even limited anti-corruption steps.
On Tuesday, Ukraine’s parliament, in which Zelensky’s “Servant of the People” party has a majority, passed a bill eliminating the independent law enforcement agency and a prosecutorial office tasked with high-level corruption investigations. Zelensky signed the bill quickly so anti-corruption units fell under his attorney general, whom he appointed.
Zelensky says the law is necessary to root out Russian infiltrators. But evidence for this is scant and it appears to be an excuse that is both absurd and, in the context of Ukraine’s war, immoral. No credible evidence links Zelensky to corrupt activities, but most observers believe the new law is designed to protect his political allies from prosecution. The anti-corruption units targeted have been investigating former defense minister and close Zelensky ally Oleksii Reznikov, for example.
Ukrainians don’t believe Zelensky’s thin justifications. They have taken to the streets to protest in tens of thousands, demanding that the law be scrapped. After the horrific losses in three years of war, they don’t want their democracy slowly stolen from within. What happens next may be crucial in determining Ukraine’s future.
Facing growing protests, Zelensky appeared to backtrack on Wednesday. Without offering much detail, he now says he will introduce a new bill next week to strengthen the independence of the two units. The Trump administration and its European allies should exert all necessary pressure to see that he does so. The new bill must restore the independence of these bodies so they can get back to their necessary work. How to exert that pressure?
First, Trump should issue a joint statement with European leaders warning that the international community will not provide funding or political cover for a government that puts its own narrow interests before the interests of its people. A G7 statement expressing concern is grossly inadequate. Second, if Zelensky refuses to budge, the U.S. should persuade its allies to suspend financial loans and aid to Ukraine until the law is overturned. Zelensky is a courageous but arrogant and obstinate leader. He must be made to understand that he will not win this argument without a terrible cost to his own interests.
If necessary, Trump should make clear that he will renege on his recent commitment to provide Ukraine with more weapons. Alone or alongside the Europeans, that threat will snap Zelensky to attention. He knows that if Trump takes this heavy step, domestic political pressure on the Ukrainian president will grow toward the breaking point. Imagine the fury of the Ukrainian people if their president insists on protecting his cronies from corruption, even if it costs troops on the frontlines the weapons to defend themselves and their homeland.
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Until now, Ukraine has deserved robust Western support to face down Putin’s imperialist effort to shred its borders and democratic authority.
But Zelensky must understand that if he turns against his people and the rule of law, Western support will be withheld until Ukrainians find a more responsible leader to take his place.