We have watched with increasing dismay and as the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acted against political opponents, culminating in recent measures to strip the country’s anti-corruption institutions of power amid the sanctioning of prominent political opponents, the detaining of vocal skeptics on apparently specious charges, and a pattern of democratic backsliding. President Zelensky has been lionized as a hero, but these missteps are a reminder that all leaders are susceptible to errors.
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Such missteps have inflamed Ukrainian civil society. Videos shared by Ukrainian anti-corruption activist leader Daria Kaleniuk show thousands of outraged protesters taking to the streets of Kyiv, in the first anti-government demonstration since the outbreak of Putin’s invasion, and what appears to be the largest demonstration since the Maidan Revolution of 2014, which led to the ouster of pro-Russian Putin leader Viktor Yanukovych.
Capturing the sentiments of many, one Ukrainian activist, Kateryna Amelina said, “My husband is in the trenches and this is not what they are fighting for…this could be the destruction of 10 years of work by civil society.” These actions have provoked similar global outcry from Ukraine’s allies, including top EU leaders.
Zelensky, claims that these crackdowns are needed because anti-corruption investigations were tainted by Russian influence and were doing Putin’s bidding. Now, Ukraine’s domestic security police force has been busy detaining anti-corruption activists on supposed “links to Russia.” These crackdowns may fracture Ukrainian unity and undermine global support at a time when Ukraine can ill-afford such mistakes. The response of the Zelensky Administration to smear anti-corruption probes as Russian propaganda is misguided and self-defeating, as many within Ukraine point out.
At the same time, we do recognize the fact that there has been too much corruption pervading the Ukrainian government. Former Deputy Chief of Staff Rostyslav Shurma was ensnared in a scandal where his brother’s company received subsidies from the Ukrainian government for solar plants in Russian-occupied territories. Former Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky was arrested after documents emerged suggesting his involvement in a land grab scheme, in which he apparently led co-conspirators in seizing 1,250 land plots totaling nearly 2,500 hectares. And Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov was enveloped in a high-profile scandal where he allegedly accepted bribes in return for helping a powerful developer seize valuable land in Kyiv on the cheap. The list goes on with allegations of wrongdoing in everything from questionable privatizations to embezzlement to self-dealing. With aid for Ukraine becoming a political lightning rod, sweeping credible allegations under the rug and pretending there is no problem is not the right move.
Time and time again, when existential challenges beckon, Zelensky has shown he can summon the courage and clarity to meet the moment. Already, we are told that Zelensky is considering a new bill which restores some of Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure, which would be a positive first step. But much more needs to be done to restore shattered trust, and it’s not too late to right the course. Acknowledging mistakes and reversing course rather than digging in is a mark of true leadership.