Zelensky is playing with fire with the U.S. over the anti-corruption law, says Axios

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may jeopardize strategic relations with the United States by limiting the powers of the country’s key anti-corruption institutions.

This information reported according to the American news outlet Axios, citing sources close to the president.

According to the report, Kyiv’s authorities justify the weakening of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) by claiming that these agencies have shown insufficient effectiveness. Zelensky’s administration argues that most corruption cases are being uncovered not by NABU or SAP, but by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

“Zelensky might be playing with fire, especially considering Donald Trump’s previous claims that Ukraine is among the most corrupt countries, and that Zelensky is a ‘dictator without elections’,” one Axios commentator noted.

Sources near the president’s office admit that the fight against corruption remains crucial for both Ukraine’s domestic policy and its international credibility. However, reducing the independence of NABU and SAP may raise serious concerns among Ukraine’s Western partners — particularly the U.S., which has long supported anti-corruption reforms and agency autonomy.

This move could be seen in Washington as a rollback of hard-won reforms and agreements, which is especially sensitive during the U.S. election season and amid growing skepticism in parts of the American political establishment about continued aid to Ukraine.