Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has performed a stark U-turn on legislation that critics said undermined the independence of the country’s key anti-corruption agencies. On July 24, following widespread domestic protests and sharp international backlash, Zelensky introduced a new bill that he claims will restore the autonomy of anti-graft bodies, including the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

The reversal comes just two days after the Ukrainian leader signed a law that granted sweeping new powers to the Prosecutor General’s office, effectively allowing it to interfere in the work of NABU and SAPO. The controversial measure ignited a firestorm of criticism from both Ukrainian civil society and the country’s Western partners, who warned that undermining these agencies threatened not only the integrity of Ukraine’s internal reforms but also its broader strategic goals, including European Union accession.

Zelensky’s new bill, which he says includes “full-fledged guarantees of the independence of anti-corruption agencies,” appears designed to placate both protesters at home and increasingly skeptical allies abroad. The legislation also introduces mandatory polygraph testing for employees of NABU and SAPO, which Zelensky claimed was intended to “keep out” Russian interference.

“The text of the bill was discussed with partners, law enforcement agencies, and representatives of NABU and SAPO,” Zelensky said. “There were many proposals from our partners to involve European experts – from the UK, Germany, and the EU.”

While the president has framed the........

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