Kyiv is trying to convince the West that Zelensky has not usurped power – Financial Times

Ukrainian authorities have attempted to defend President Volodymyr Zelensky and convince Western countries that he has not usurped power, despite significantly limiting the powers of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

This was reported by the Financial Times (FT), citing Ukrainian officials.

According to the publication, Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, along with other senior officials from Zelensky’s team, began calling and texting Western diplomats in an effort to justify Kyiv’s position.

“Taras Kachka and other senior Zelensky officials began calling and texting Western diplomats, attempting to defend Kyiv’s stance and dispel concerns about a presidential power grab,” the article states.

On Tuesday, July 22, the Verkhovna Rada passed a bill that effectively stripped Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies of their independence. The same day, President Zelensky signed it into law.

Earlier, The Economist reported that the European Union had exerted pressure on President Zelensky to halt the law’s adoption. The decision by Kyiv has reportedly caused “serious concern” in Brussels.