Zelensky discussed corruption in Ukraine and the measures being taken to combat it.

There is no anti-corruption system like Ukraine's anywhere in Europe, and today efforts are being made to combat corruption in the country. This was reported on Sunday, January 5, by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with American podcaster Lex Friedman.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine has a very complex anti-corruption system, as it consists of many elements.

“It is the most complicated in all of Europe. This is yet another requirement from the EU; it was a demand from Ukraine, and for many years, Ukraine was not trusted. I want to say that during my time, we voted on all laws, all anti-corruption reforms, and all anti-corruption bodies are independent; they are working. According to the request, I believe they are still not perfect, there are many issues,” he stated.

The president emphasized that corruption undoubtedly exists in Ukraine, but what is termed corruption here would be called lobbying in some other countries.

“To say that we have no corruption? That would be a lie. We just talk about it openly; we are genuinely fighting it. The most influential oligarch before me is currently in prison. No one could do anything with him. Neither the US could do anything with Kolomoisky, despite all their efforts. Nor could Europe do anything with him,” he added.

At the same time, Zelensky assured that the Ukrainian authorities are firmly opposing any attempts to profit from the war. According to him, the country not only does not profit from the received assistance but also actively punishes those who attempt to abuse it.

“Wherever we saw risks that something could happen with the weapons, we struck down on everyone’s hands. And believe me, this concerns not just Ukraine. We did not profit from the war. If we found anyone trying to do this, we struck them down and will continue to do so,” said the Ukrainian leader.

It is worth noting that in October, it was reported that in 2024, only 1.3% of those convicted for corruption offenses received prison sentences (27 verdicts), while 97.5% of corrupt individuals faced fines (1,714 verdicts).