As rule of law continues to deteriorate in Ukraine, Hungarian media outlets are asking how it is possible the country is in contention to join the European Union, despite having no elections, no free press, rampant corruption, and an ongoing war on its eastern front. However, after President Volodymyr Zelensky’s latest power grab, the EU appears to be under pressure to finally speak out against his actions.
Zelensky’s move to bring Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies under his rule with a new law has put his country’s EU ambitions in jeopardy, top European politicians are now warning, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“The president of the European Commission was in contact with President Zelenskyy about these latest developments,” Guillaume Mercier, European Commission spokesperson, told Politico. “President von der Leyen conveyed her strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments, and she requested an explanation from the Ukrainian government.
“The respect for the rule of law and the fight against corruption are core elements of the European Union. As a candidate country, Ukraine is expected to uphold these standards fully. There cannot be a compromise,” Mercier added.
However, a host of officials are now raising the alarm as protests spread in Ukraine against the Zelensky regime. The outrage comes after the Ukrainian parliament voted for a change in the law that centralizes the prosecutor’s powers and ends the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Office (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP)
The new law sparked concerns in the international press and from civil organizations like Transparency International.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul wrote on X on Wednesday that “restricting the independence of the Ukrainian anti-corruption agency burdens the path of Ukraine into the EU. I expect Ukraine to consistently continue the fight against corruption. Therefore, I also met with the heads of NABU and SAPO in Kyiv.”
Not only is Zelensky now facing pressure on the streets of Ukraine from demonstrators, but top EU politicians appear to be turning up the pressure.
Nevertheless, EU money is expected to keep flowing to Ukraine, unlike Hungary, which has had its funding frozen for a variety of issues, including so-called rule-of-law violations as well as Orban’s anti-immigration stance.
It is unclear how far Zelensky would have to go to threaten the supply of billions of euros, but Brussels is also determined not to let Russia win the war. Nevertheless, the EU could still take such an action depending on how the situation develops.
“Ukraine belongs in Europe, and our support goes to its people. But our support has never been and will never be a blank check for any actions of the government,” wrote Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský on X.
We are closely following the situation in Ukraine. Fighting corruption is a vital part of the EU accession path. Ukraine belongs in Europe and our support goes to its people. But our support has never been and will never be a blank cheque for any actions of the government. I…
— Jan Lipavský (@JanLipavsky) July 23, 2025
Zelensky’s circles at anti-corruption bodies
The Ukrainian government justified the current amendment by saying they could now eliminate alleged “Russian influence” in these anti-corruption bodies, but according to its critics, the move is actually a political power play that enables Zelensky to protect his inner circle.
As previously reported, NABU and SAPO did indeed launch an investigation into Zelenskyy’s associates, including investigations against Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov. Once the corruption probe targeted one of his top advisors, Zelensky’s regime was undoubtedly shaken. Now, they are partaking in a march towards centralization against independent anti-corruption structures in their effort to maintain control.
Hungarian Nation reported that Zelensky’s men allegedly embezzled $40 million, which was uncovered by the Ukrainian security service. Employees of a Ukrainian arms company, Lviv Arsenal, and the Ministry of Defense, also allegedly participated in the fraud.
Other corruption cases have also been launched in recent months, including last month in Lviv, with Ukrainian prosecutors stating that technical equipment for the army worth €1.5 million was stolen due to irregular public procurement.
Despite all of these issues, von der Leyen said in a statement that if Ukraine continues the necessary reforms, the country can join the EU before 2030.
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