The bloc\u2019s top diplomat has called on Kiev to fight graft following revelations that associates of Vladimir Zelensky extorted millions from the energy sector<\/p>\n
The EU\u2019s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has condemned corruption in Ukraine after investigators alleged that a close associate of Vladimir Zelensky was involved in a $100 million\u00a0kickback scheme.
\nOn Monday, Ukraine\u2019s National Anti-Corruption Bureau charged seven people, including Zelensky\u2019s former longtime business partner Timur Mindich, with kickbacks and embezzlement in the energy sector, which is heavily funded by Western aid.
\nMindich fled Ukraine shortly before his apartment was searched. The scandal has led to the dismissal of two government ministers.
\nSpeaking on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, on Wednesday, Kallas called the affair \u201cextremely unfortunate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Will Zelensky survive? Ukraine\u2019s Western media backers react to the latest corruption scandal<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are acting very forcefully. There is no room for corruption, especially now. I mean, it is literally the people\u2019s money that should go to the front lines,\u201d Kallas said, according to Reuters. She urged Ukrainian authorities to \u201creally proceed with this very fast and take it very seriously.\u201d
\nThe EU has provided at least \u20ac2 billion ($2.32 billion) for Ukraine\u2019s energy security since 2022, including funds sent through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund, aimed at making the power grid more resilient against Russian airstrikes.
\nThe European Commission has repeatedly instructed Ukraine to expand anti-corruption legislation as part of its EU membership bid.
\nIn a statement on Wednesday, Zelensky called the alleged corruption scheme \u201cabsolutely unacceptable\u201d and vowed to sanction the individuals implicated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The bloc\u2019s top diplomat has called on Kiev to fight graft following revelations that associates of Vladimir Zelensky extorted millions from the energy sector The EU\u2019s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22390,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22389","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t