EU to withhold aid to Ukraine over corruption concerns

KYIV: President Zelensky's anti-corruption policies have provoked Ukraine's first anti-govt protests since the Russian invasion in 2022. Now, it seems, they may cost the country a portion of its foreign aid from the EU, in a clear rebuke from the bloc, once a staunch ally.The EU said Friday it would withhold 1.5 billion euros from an overall fund of 4.5 billion euros whose disbursement is dependent on achieving good governance standards and that can't be used for military purchases. The funding can be restored if Ukraine meets certain benchmarks. Zelensky had no public comment on the aid cut, which nevertheless was a setback for Ukraine's prez, who is depending on European financial support to fill gaps left by the Trump govt's refusal to underwrite Ukraine's war effort.

The EU's decision capped a tumultuous week for Zelensky, who first pushed a measure through parliament that stripped the independence of two anti-corruption agencies, raising protests from foreign leaders as well as the Ukrainian people. He then reversed course, submitting a new bill to parliament to restore the agencies' independence. That calmed the street protests, but could not head off the EU's aid cut.