US Senator Blumenthal warns Zelensky over anti-graft law, backs protests as 'democracy in action'

U.S. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal on July 25 voiced support for Ukrainians protesting a law that stripped two of the country's main anti-corruption institutions of their independence, calling the demonstrations "democracy in action."

"I hope President (Volodymyr) Zelensky will continue to show transparency and anti-corruption commitment," Blumenthal wrote. "His credibility and support depend on it."

The senator, a leading advocate of sanctions against Russia, co-authored a bipartisan bill that would impose 500% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, gas, or uranium.

His remarks follow days of mass protests across Ukraine and mounting international pressure on Kyiv to reverse course on the July 22 law.

Zelensky signed the controversial bill that granted sweeping control to the prosecutor general over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), institutions long seen as pillars of Ukraine's reform path.

Civil society groups, opposition lawmakers, and EU leaders warned that the move endangered Ukraine's European integration.

Facing sustained backlash, Zelensky submitted a new draft law on July 24 aimed at restoring the agencies' independence. Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk said it will be reviewed at the next plenary session, though the parliament remains in recess until late August.

On July 25, EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova said democratic dialogue is crucial, particularly during wartime.

"My mission in Ukraine is not only about political meetings and diplomatic dialogue — it is also about people, about their feelings, about their emotions," she said.

Mathernova noted that Ukrainians continue fighting not just with weapons but also with their voices, "for freedom, for justice, for a country free of corruption."

Zelensky acknowledged the criticism a day earlier, telling journalists there "should have been a dialogue" with society before the bill's adoption.

Protesters in Kyiv and other cities have vowed to continue until the rollback is passed, demanding full restoration of institutional independence.

Zelensky’s big Ukraine blunder, explained

For many who came to know Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky only after Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the president’s recent move on anti-graft agencies was jarring. In the early days of the invasion, Zelensky gained hero status after refusing to evacuate as Russian forces closed in on Kyiv. His daily addresses and global appeals rallied Western support and helped secure the military and financial aid that have kept Ukraine afloat. To much of the world, Zelensky became the

The Kyiv IndependentLiliane Bivings