Germany has voiced concern over a new law in Ukraine that puts two of the country’s main anti-corruption agencies under the authority of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed and dismissed by the president, warning the move could hurt Ukraine’s chances of joining the European Union.
“This decision makes Ukraine’s EU path more difficult,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Wednesday in a post on X. He urged Kyiv to stay committed to fighting corruption, calling it essential for Ukraine’s future in Europe.
He also mentioned in his publication that he recently met in Kyiv with the leadership of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), the two agencies affected by the law.
Germany’s Bild daily reported that Wadephul spoke by phone with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha earlier in the day to stress the importance of keeping anti-corruption institutions strong and independent.
On Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the controversial bill into law. Passed by parliament hours earlier, the legislation removes the independent status of NABU and SAPO, giving the Prosecutor General powers to oversee investigations, access case files, and even close cases based on defense requests.
The late-night signature came after thousands of demonstrators gathered for hours outside the presidential complex in Kyiv and other cities – including Lviv, Odesa, and Dnipro – to protest the new law that many fear is a major blow to the country’s push to eliminate graft in government institutions.
In a video message released overnight, Zelensky said Ukraine’s anti-corruption system needs to be free from Russian interference. “We must remove Russian influence wherever it still exists,” he said. “Justice must be restored, and those who have committed crimes must face consequences.”
He also called for investigations into long-standing corruption cases and criticized former officials who fled abroad and are “living peacefully” without being held accountable.
Western allies, including the European Union and G7 nations, have warned that weakening Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts could slow its progress toward EU accession and shake international confidence in the government’s reform agenda.
Ukraine formally applied to join the EU following Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022. Accession negotiations began in June 2024, with the fight against corruption considered one of the most important conditions.
Observers now fear the new law could give the government greater control over sensitive investigations and roll back progress made under international pressure.