OPINION: Ukraine Acts Swiftly And Convincingly – The West Drags Its Feet

Ukraine’s parliament has voted to restore the independence of two key anti-corruption agencies, moving to defuse the country’s biggest political crisis since Russia’s invasion. Politicians on July 31 voted 331 to 0 in favor of the bill, which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted last week following pressure from thousands of protesters and top European officials.

The BBC reporter who provided this information stated that the President of Ukraine was embarrassed. I suspect that, subsequently, after being reprimanded by his more knowledgeable superiors, that reporter had a better understanding of how democracy works in Ukraine. 

Even in wartime, when there are obvious exigent circumstances, the democratically elected President of Ukraine recognized that he is merely a tool of the people’s will (Servant of the People, which is his political party’s moniker). The giveaway should have been the vote count. 

In wartime, enemy infiltration is a very powerful weapon. It can result in many lives lost. It can also influence military and political strategy. During World War II, the Soviet Union infiltrated the American Executive Branch, State and Treasury at least. President Franklin D. Roosevelt traveled to Yalta in February 1945 to discuss the end of the war with Soviet strongman Josef Stalin. His chief adviser was a Soviet agent, and FDR gave up all of Eastern Europe to Stalin. This resulted in a half-century Cold War. 

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Lavrov: ‘Peace in Ukraine Depends on the Battlefield, Not Negotiations’

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says he currently sees no prospect for negotiations with Ukraine, arguing that Western military support and long-range weapons deliveries leave “no talk of any negotiations,” claiming President Volodymyr Zelensky’s open letter to meet with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin shows Kyiv does not want dialogue, and saying that a genuine proposal would have been sent through closed channels.

President Zelensky’s concern with Russian infiltration in the agencies of the Ukrainian government, not within Zelensky’s control, should be understood. Nevertheless, Zelensky learned from his people that they would not accept anything less than an independent monitoring of state corruption. People were dying for Ukraine, and they would not stand for the ruling elite benefiting financially from the war. So Zelensky made a good-faith appraisal and a U-turn, ostensibly finding other ways to fight Russian infiltration. Zelensky’s people submitted the new bill to Parliament, and Parliament, guided by the will of the people, endorsed it unanimously. 

Democracy very rarely functions unanimously, but this was a manifestation of democracy and unity. I recall a similar, but less overwhelming manifestation of a united effort in Ukraine in May 2024. Russia had already invaded in February of that year. A presidential election was scheduled for May, with the winner needing a majority to be elected. There were more than twenty candidates, but there was also a need for unity to elect a president in the first round because that would manifest to the world Ukraine’s resolve to fight as one. Petro Poroshenko received more than 50% in the first round and was elected president. 

Going back to the time of Ukraine’s independence, when Soviet Ukraine proclaimed independence on Aug. 24, 1991, Ukraine took a risk that manifested its will unlike any other Soviet republic or satellite. Ukraine called for a referendum on independence, with many regions consisting of descendants of Russian colonizers. Despite the odds, over 90% of the entire country voted in favor of independence.

Between the anti-corruption bills, the European Union warned Ukraine of withholding some of the money earmarked for Ukraine’s defense. This was done very hastily, as it took President Zelensky only two days to announce that he would introduce a new bill to essentially nullify the first. I do not know what the EU was thinking. Perhaps it was to put pressure on President Zelensky to do what he said he would. If the international community has learned anything, it has to believe that President Zelensky is neither Putin nor Trump. He is a straight shooter and true to his word. 

Upon passage of the second bill, the EU leadership and leaders of EU member states welcomed the news. I trust that any diminution of aid is now moot.

Amidst all of this, it is important to note that Russia is bombing Ukrainian cities, mainly civilian targets, at an alarming rate. Military aid to Ukraine, unfortunately, largely remains in the promise stage. Not a single Patriot missile defense system has been delivered to Ukraine since Trump took office. President Zelensky has announced that Ukraine has secured three Patriots, meaning not that they are on Ukrainian territory, but that three have been promised to be purchased from the United States by European countries. At least seven more are needed. In fact, as for American weapons to date, only President Biden’s drawdown weapons have reached Ukraine. Ukraine acts while the West talks. It’s almost as if Ukraine alone is fighting for the entire “democratic” world.

The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.