Kyiv must hold corrupt figures in politics and business to account if it wants to join the EU. This was warned by a senior Brussels official amid growing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over allegations of corruption. The report comes from Politico.
In an interview with the outlet, European Commissioner for Justice Michael McGrath said European governments will not support the accession of a candidate country, such as Ukraine, to the 27-member bloc if it cannot demonstrate an effective system for rooting out crime at the top levels of society.
While the reform process in Ukraine is "a journey," McGrath said he believes Kyiv is making "maximum efforts" to fight corruption, adding that he is in regular contact with authorities on developments.
Requirements for accession candidates
The commissioner was commenting on questions regarding an alleged conspiracy to steal about $100 million from Ukraine's energy sector, as the investigation expands to include senior officials close to Zelensky and members of his government.
"Every candidate country must have a reliable system to handle high-level corruption cases. You need a robust system of investigation and, ultimately, prosecutions and convictions, and a demonstrated track record of effectiveness in this area – this is what we require from all our own member states, and, of course, from those who wish to join the European Union."
– McGrath said.
Searches at Yermak's premises and his dismissal
After McGrath made his comments, anti-corruption investigators carried out searches at the premises of Zelensky's most influential adviser, Andriy Yermak, as part of the ongoing probe. Late on Friday, Zelensky dismissed Yermak, saying he did not want "rumors and speculation."
The investigation comes at an extremely sensitive time for Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump is pressuring Zelensky to agree to a peace deal that could require him to cede territory to Russia.
The EU accession process
Ukraine is in the process of applying to join the EU, although opposition from Hungary is slowing progress. McGrath said that "the same standard applies to all candidate countries," adding that "rule-of-law and justice reforms are at the heart of the accession process."
"We have very open and honest relations with the Ukrainian authorities about what these requirements are."
– he said.
These rule-of-law standards must be met by all countries joining the EU, he said.
"If they are not met, then you will not receive support from European Union member states to move forward on the accession path."
– the commissioner stressed.
When asked whether Ukraine is doing enough, he responded:
"I think they are making maximum efforts to reach the required standard. It is a journey, and we are closely watching developments and remain in constant contact with the Ukrainian authorities on issues that attract our attention or are reported publicly."
– McGrath said.
