EU demands ‘explanations’ on Ukrainian reforms, says ‘no compromise’ on corruption
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen asked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for explanations on the controversial reform weakening the country’s anti-corruption agencies, her spokesperson said.
Von der Leyen “conveyed her strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments,” her spokesperson said, adding that she requested “explanations” about the change.
The EU is “very concerned” about the adoption of the new law, which it said “risks weakening strongly the competences and powers of anti-corruption institutions of Ukraine.”
They added:
“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.”
Share
Key events
-
19m ago
EU, US closing on 15% tariff deal, Financial Times reports
-
1h ago
Israel not doing enough on Gaza, EU warns as calls for sanctions mount
-
2h ago
Ukrainian environmental activisits urge Zelenskyy to repeal new law
-
2h ago
Ukrainian protests over anti-corruption authorities reform – explainer
-
2h ago
EU demands ‘explanations’ on Ukrainian reforms, says ‘no compromise’ on corruption
-
3h ago
Greece battles ‘worst heatwave this summer’
-
3h ago
Greek island of Crete hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake
-
4h ago
Ukrainian delegation meets with Turkey’s Erdoğan before Russia talks
-
4h ago
Ukraine ready for talks, but need Russia to be constructive, source says
-
4h ago
Germany expects Ukraine to continue fighting corruption, minister says
-
5h ago
EU to continue talks with US on trade, tariffs
-
6h ago
EU wants to work closely with Japan to ‘counter economic coercion’, develop trade ties
-
7h ago
‘We all hear what society says,’ Zelenskyy says as he promises ‘action plan’ on anti-corruption within two weeks
-
7h ago
Polish PM Tusk reshuffles government to regain momentum after presidential defeat
-
7h ago
Russian delegation en route to Istanbul for talks with Ukraine
-
9h ago
Morning opening: Ukraine faces criticism over anti-corruption agencies reform
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
EU, US closing on 15% tariff deal, Financial Times reports
Let’s quickly go back to the EU’s trade with the US, as the Financial Times (£) newspaper is reporting that “the EU and US are closing in on a trade deal that would impose 15 per cent tariffs on European imports.”
The paper says the agreement, similar to the one signed with Japan, would “avoid the US president’s threat to raise [tariffs] to 30 per cent from 1 August.”
As part of the deal, both sides would waive tariffs on some selected products, including aircraft, spirits and medical devices, it said.
The report comes hours after the EU has threatened to impose nearly €100bn (£87bn) worth of tariffs on US imports ranging from bourbon whiskey and Boeing aircraft in one fell swoop if Donald Trump does not agree a trade deal by the end of next week.
As my colleague Lisa O’Carroll reported, “if agreed by EU member states, through a vote expected in the coming days, the €93bn of counter-tariffs could be imposed from 7 August.”
Share
Israel not doing enough on Gaza, EU warns as calls for sanctions mount
Jennifer Rankin
in Brussels
Meanwhile, the European Commission has said Israel is not doing enough to implement an agreement to increase aid to Gaza, as concerns mount about the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the territory.
In a private meeting EU officials told member state diplomats on Wednesday that supplies entering Gaza were falling short of the agreement announced by the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas nearly two weeks ago, three EU sources told the Guardian.
Several EU member states urged the commission to present options to sanction Israel, following inconclusive discussions earlier this month.
France, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland and Slovenia were among the most critical member states.
On 10 July, Kallas said Israel had agreed to “the substantial increase of daily trucks” for food and non-food supplies, as well as resumption of fuel deliveries, protection of aid workers and repair of vital infrastructure.
This week the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNWRA) said people are starving and that more than 1,000 people have been reported killed trying to get food aid since the end of May.
Writing on X on Tuesday, Kallas said the killing of civilians seeking aid was “indefensible” and that she had spoken to Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar “to recall our understanding on aid flow and made clear that [the] IDF must stop killing people at distribution points”. She said “all options” remained on the table if Israel “doen’t deliver on its pledges”.
Kallas has launched a review of the EU’s trade and cooperation agreement with Israel, which is meant to be founded on respect for human rights, but the EU remains divided over whether to take any action.
The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has been accused of showing too much uncritical support towards Israel, described the images from Gaza as “unbearable”.
EU officials reported on Wednesday that between 17-21 July 132 trucks and 80-120,000 litres of fuel entered the strip, which, they said, was nowhere near enough. Before Israel imposed a blockade on all humanitarian supplies in March, 500-600 aid trucks entered Gaza a day.
Even EU diplomats have been left in the dark about the precise terms of the agreement with Israel, including possible details on the number of trucks per day.
Share
Ukrainian environmental activisits urge Zelenskyy to repeal new law
Ajit Niranjan
Ukrainian environmental activists have added their voices to the growing domestic criticism of President Zelenskyy’s rollback of anti-corruption reforms.
Razom We Stand, an NGO that campaigns against authoritarian fossil fuel regimes, said the move undermined the rule of law in Ukraine and “potentially jeopardises” crucial aid such as the Ukraine Facility and critical investments in reconstruction and renewable energy, as well as the country’s chances of joining the EU.
”This is a clear threat to the rule of law, demolishing the independence of anti-corruption prosecutors and undermining citizens’ hope of building a democratic, European Ukraine,” said Svitlana Romanko, founder of Razom We Stand. “It strips key institutions of their autonomy, making them indistinguishable from ordinary law enforcement agencies.”
The group, which has pushed the EU to stop buying Russian fossil fuels, called for the immediate repeal of the law. It said independent anti-corruption institutions have been essential to attracting private investments in Ukraine, and would be needed for a green reconstruction including transition minerals and energy infrastructure.
Share
Ukrainian protests over anti-corruption authorities reform – explainer
Luke Harding
WHAT ARE THE PROTESTS ABOUT?
Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, voted to bring two independent agencies – the national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (Sapo) – under effective government control.
An activist holds a copy of Ukraine’s constitution during a protest against the adoption of draft law N12414, which reduces the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), in the square outside the Ivan Franko Theatre at night, Kyiv, Ukraine. Photograph: Ukrinform/Shutterstock
The country’s prosecutor general can now close cases against top officials, and investigations can be transferred to other bodies. Zelenskyy might have vetoed the new bill, but instead he signed it into law late on Tuesday night.
In a video address, he said he needed to clear Ukraine’s “anti-corruption infrastructure” of Russian influence. He accused the two organisations concerned of failing to pursue cases against Ukrainian officials living abroad and suggested they were guilty of leaking information helpful to Moscow.
HOW HAVE CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS REACTED?
Many people are furious. Hours before Zelenskyy signed the bill into law, about 1,500 young protesters gathered outside his presidential office in Kyiv. They chanted: “Veto the law”, “shame” and “we are the power”. Several waved banners with the number 12412 – referring to the new law – crossed out. There were also demonstrations in Lviv, Dnipro and Odesa.
The activists say Zelenskyy has violated the informal social contract between government and society that has existed since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Under it, campaigners were largely silent about official failures because of the country’s precarious wartime situation. The priority was Ukraine’s survival as a state and nation.
WHAT IS THE BACKSTORY?
Tensions between Nabu and the government have been brewing for some time.
Last week, the bureau accused a senior official from Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, of taking bribes. The official allegedly asked for $300,000 (£220,000) to get rid of evidence in a case involving the illegal smuggling of conscripts abroad.
Nabu has also made claims against Ukraine’s former deputy prime minister Oleksiy Chernyshov.
The SBU has raided Nabu’s offices and says three employees have connections with Russia. It has also accused the bureau’s deputy chief, Vitaliy Shabunin, a prominent anti-corruption campaigner, of failing to turn up for military duty. His supporters dismiss the charges against him as absurd and confected. Shabunin has given interviews denouncing Zelenskyy.
Read full explainer here:
Share
If you want to understand better what this controversy is about and what led to protests on the streets of Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities last night, we have a handy explainer for you.
Over to Luke Harding in Kyiv.
Share
EU demands ‘explanations’ on Ukrainian reforms, says ‘no compromise’ on corruption
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen asked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for explanations on the controversial reform weakening the country’s anti-corruption agencies, her spokesperson said.
Von der Leyen “conveyed her strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments,” her spokesperson said, adding that she requested “explanations” about the change.
The EU is “very concerned” about the adoption of the new law, which it said “risks weakening strongly the competences and powers of anti-corruption institutions of Ukraine.”
They added:
“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.”
Share
Greece battles ‘worst heatwave this summer’
Helena Smith
The earthquake in Crete comes as Greece battles another extreme heatwave.
A soldier wipes sweat off the face of an Presidential guard outside the Parliament building, during a heat wave in Athens, Greece. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
As Helena Smith writes from Athens:
“It may be midweek but Greece is barely halfway through the worst heatwave to hit the country this summer.
Meteorologists are now predicting the extreme temperatures – nudging 45 C in some parts yesterday – will not only become more intense but last at least until Sunday ensuring that Greece remains the hottest place in Europe.
In a Facebook post this morning, leading weatherman Klearchos Marousakis forecast the heatwave peaking this weekend, noting:
“The hardest is ahead of us. Over the two-day period from Friday to Saturday our country will be in extreme danger from the point of view of temperatures as well as the risk of fires.”
Share
Updated at 14.53 BST
Greek island of Crete hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake
The Greek island of Crete has been hit by a 5.3 magnitude earthquake this afternoon, the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.
Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported that the tremor was felt in Crete, but also in the Peloponnese and Attica regions.
National broadcaster ERT reported the earthquake as 5.2 magnitude.
I will keep an eye on this for any further reports and will keep you up to date.
Share
Ukrainian delegation meets with Turkey’s Erdoğan before Russia talks
Andriy Yermak, head of president Zelenskyy’s office, said the Ukrainian delegation separately met with the Turkish president, Recep Tayip Erdoğan and his aides.
He says they “expressed our gratitude … for their consistent political and security support for Ukraine,” and for the Turkish offer to host negotiations.
“We discussed the security situation, regional stability challenges, and the prospects for further defence cooperation between our countries,” he said.
Share
Ukraine ready for talks, but need Russia to be constructive, source says
A source in the Ukrainian delegation told the AFP that Ukraine was ready to agree a ceasefire with Russia during today’s talks in Istanbul, but would need Moscow to show up with a “constructive position” and “stop speaking in ultimatums.”
Members of the media work near Çırağan Palace, as a third round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine is expected to be held, in Istanbul, Turkey. Photograph: Murad Sezer/Reuters
“Everything will depend on whether Russia stops speaking in ultimatums and takes a constructive position. This will determine whether results can be achieved at this meeting,” the source told AFP.
The Kremlin earlier said it expected the talks to be “very difficult,” with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying “no one expects an easy road.”
Share
Germany expects Ukraine to continue fighting corruption, minister says
Germany is the latest European country to join in expressing concerns about Ukraine’s latest anti-corruption reform.
The country’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul said in a social media post that he expected “Ukraine to continue with determination its efforts in combating corruption.”
He that the restriction of the anti-corruption agencies’ independence could be an issue for Ukraine’s path to join the EU.
Separately, German newspaper Bild also reported that Wadephul spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha about the reform.
Share