EU threatens to freeze aid to Ukraine unless anti-corruption agencies' independence is restored

Several sources in the government and parliament told this to Ekonomichna Pravda, and EU structures confirmed it to European Pravda.

The EU conveyed this message to Kyiv through diplomatic channels, urging parliament to find the votes to repeal the provisions of the draft law.

If the independence of the anti-corruption agencies is not restored, loans from the profits of frozen Russian assets under the ERA program, as well as funding from the EBRD and EIB, will be at risk.

“Yes, indeed, the EU has warned Kyiv. If the law is not adopted, loans from the profits of Russian assets under the ERA program will stop—we will simply cease providing them. Funding from the EBRD and EIB will also be halted,” European Pravda quotes its source, who wished to remain anonymous.

Payments under the Ukraine Facility program have not been stopped yet, but the next tranche has already been reduced due to failed reforms, and further reductions may follow.

The EU also expects decisions on other reforms, including the appointment of the head of the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB). According to media reports, Brussels has made it clear: any rollback of anti-corruption reforms will have serious consequences.

Ukraine’s anti-corruption laws

On July 22, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a bill passed by the Verkhovna Rada that includes provisions limiting the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP), placing their activities under the authority of the Prosecutor General. The bill’s status card was updated three times: initially marked as signed by the president, then the note disappeared, and later the signature of Zelenskyy reappeared.

After the vote in the Verkhovna Rada, thousands of Ukrainians in major cities held peaceful protests, demanding that the president veto the law that significantly limits the powers of the anti-corruption agencies.

The European Union has expressed serious concern over Ukraine’s adoption of Law No. 12414, which limits the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office. According to European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier, these institutions are vital for anti-corruption reforms and must operate independently to maintain public trust and support Ukraine’s EU integration.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen personally addressed President Zelenskyy, demanding an explanation and stressing that compromising the rule of law is unacceptable—especially given Ukraine’s EU candidate status.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated that weakening NABU’s independence is a “serious step backward” and could undermine Ukraine’s EU membership prospects.

Representatives of France and Germany also voiced concern, urging Kyiv to revise the law and preserve institutional safeguards for these bodies’ independence.

Overall, Brussels believes the law threatens Ukraine’s institutional resilience, democratic direction, and Western support—especially in light of the ongoing war and its EU aspirations.

On July 23, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the preparation of a presidential bill concerning the functioning of the law enforcement system.

“I will submit to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine a bill that will serve as a response and strengthen the law enforcement system. There will be no Russian influence or interference in the work of law enforcement agencies, and—very importantly—all provisions ensuring the independence of anti-corruption institutions will be included. I also expect proposals from our group of heads of law enforcement and anti-corruption bodies, and from the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, regarding the necessary legal provisions,” Zelenskyy stated.

“This will be a presidential bill, and we will implement it as part of our national transformation strategy,” he added.

However, on the morning of July 24, it became known that members of parliament had drafted and submitted their own bill to the Verkhovna Rada aimed at restoring the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.

The Verkhovna Rada will consider the presidential bill on strengthening the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office on July 31.