Zelenskyy faces backlash as Ukrainians protest new anti-corruption law

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Activists on Wednesday called for more protests of a new law that they say weakens Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdogs, following the first major anti-government demonstration in over three years of war.

The legislation, which has also drawn rebukes from European Union officials and international rights groups, has put increased pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and endangered his public support at a critical phase of the war.

Also on Wednesday, delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Istanbul for a third round of talks in as many months. The talks appeared to have lasted less than an hour and yielded no breakthroughs. The two sides, however, agreed to exchange more prisoners of war.

In the morning, Zelenskyy convened the heads of Ukraine's key anti-corruption and security agencies in response to the outcry against his decision to approve the law that was passed by parliament.

“We all hear what society says,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram after the meeting. But he insisted the new legal framework was needed to crack down harder on corruption.

“Criminal cases should not drag on for years without verdicts, and those working against Ukraine must not feel comfortable or immune from punishment,” he said.

Zelenskyy said all government agencies agreed to work constructively and respond to public expectations for fairness and effectiveness. A detailed joint action plan is expected within two weeks, aimed at addressing institutional weaknesses, removing legal hurdles and ensuring justice across the board, he said.

Thousands of people gathered in the capital and other cities Tuesday to urge Zelenskyy to veto the controversial bill. After he approved it, activists went on social media to call for another demonstration Wednesday night in central Kyiv.

Zelenskyy has been the international face of Ukraine’s determination to defeat Russia’s all-out invasion, and his domestic troubles are an unwelcome diversion from the war effort.

Zelenskyy acknowledged the protests and criticism in his nightly address Wednesday, and he said government and law enforcement agencies had agreed to come up with specific steps to “strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine.” Those recommendations, he said, would lead to a bill he would propose to parliament to safeguard the autonomy of the agencies.

The legislation tightens government oversight of two key anti-corruption agencies. Critics say the step could significantly weaken the independence of those agencies and give Zelenskyy’s circle greater influence over investigations.

Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars in Western aid in the war.

“Limiting the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency hampers Ukraine’s way towards the EU,” German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul warned in a post on X.

EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, also on X, noted: “In war, trust between the fighting nation and its leadership is more important than modern weapons — difficult to build and to keep, but easy to lose with one significant mistake by the leadership.”

The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticized the parliament’s decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since 2014, when Ukrainians ousted a pro-Moscow president in what they called the Revolution of Dignity, and damages trust with international partners. It accused authorities of “dismantling” the country’s anti-corruption architecture.

Zelenskyy said the new law clears out “Russian influence” from fighting corruption and ensures punishment for those found guilty of it. He cited years of delays in criminal proceedings involving huge amounts of money.

“The cases that have been lying dormant must be investigated,” he said in a Telegram post early Wednesday. “For years, officials who have fled Ukraine have been casually living abroad for some reason — in very nice countries and without legal consequences — and this is not normal,” he said.

He didn’t give examples of what he said was Russian interference.

The legal changes in Ukraine would grant the prosecutor general new authority over investigations and cases handled by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, appointed by Zelenskyy just over a month ago, said the anti-corruption watchdogs and other law enforcement agencies would keep working as before.

“The prosecutor general has only been granted broader powers and an increased scope of authority,” Kravchenko told a news conference as officials moved to ease public concern.

The anger and frustration among war-weary Ukrainians prevailed in the crowd Tuesday. Some protesters accused Ukraine’s leadership of prioritizing loyalty and personal connections over fighting corruption.

“Those who swore to protect the laws and the constitution have instead chosen to shield their inner circle, even at the expense of Ukrainian democracy,” said veteran Oleh Symoroz, who lost both legs after he was wounded in 2022.

Russian officials relished Zelenskyy’s difficulties, although Moscow faces its own series of corruption cases against government and military officials.

The third round of direct talks got underway at the Ciragan Palace in Istanbul with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressing hope the Russian and Ukrainian delegates would "engage in substantive and results-oriented consultations.”

The ultimate goal, he said, is "a ceasefire that will pave the way to peace.”

Speaking to the media after the talks, the Ukrainian delegation once again stressed that Kyiv’s top priorities were a meeting between the Ukrainian and Russian presidents and a “real ceasefire” ending all strikes on civilian infrastructure. The Ukrainian delegation proposed holding such a meeting in August to satisfy the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, who gave the Kremlin a 50-day ultimatum to reach a peace deal or face steep trade tariffs.

“We have progress on humanitarian track. There is no progress on cessation of hostilities or ceasefire," the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said.

Russian officials in their remarks to reporters reiterated that a peace agreement needs to be finalized before the two leaders meet.

The head of Russia's delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said Russia proposed 24- or 48-hour ceasefires along the front line so that medical teams could retrieve dead and wounded soldiers. As for a broader truce, Moscow's and Kyiv's “positions are quite distant from each other," Medinsky said, referring to the memorandums exchanged by both sides that set out conditions for a ceasefire. “We have agreed to continue contact.”

Both sides said more exchanges of prisoners of war were agreed on — at least 1,200 on each side, according to Medinsky. Other issues discussed included the fate of civilian captives, Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia and the return of the bodies of fallen soldiers and wounded troops.

In other developments, Russian drone strikes knocked out power to more than 220,000 customers in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region, Zelenskyy said on Telegram, adding that repairs restored most of the supply in hours.

Ukrainian and Western officials have accused the Kremlin of stalling in the talks in order for its bigger army to capture more Ukrainian land.

Earlier this month, Trump threatened Russia with severe economic sanctions and said more American weapons, paid for by European countries, would go to Ukraine. Trump hardened his stance toward Moscow after months of frustration with Putin about unsuccessful talks for a ceasefire.

Trump gave Russia until early September to agree to a ceasefire.

Guzel reported from Istanbul, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, United Kingdom; and Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, second left, arrives for a news conference following a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for peace talks at Ciragan palace, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, left, gestures during a news conference following a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for peace talks at Ciragan palace, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

A woman holds a banner during a protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Participants hold banners during a protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Participants hold banners during a protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

A woman holds a phone with a sign reads "Veto" during the protest against the law aimed towards regulations of anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko)

A police boat patrols the Bosphorus as journalists work at the at Ciragan palace ahead of expected talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

Turkish National Intelligence Director Ibrahim Kalin, right, arrives to Ciragan palace ahead of expected talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations, in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)

In this photo taken from video distributed by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, a Russian Army BM-21 "Grad" self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian position in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

A man waves a flag during a protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko)

Protestant chant while holding banners that read "I stand for you, and for those who are on the frontline", "Do you want it like in Russia", "Stop robbing our future" during a protest against a law targeting anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko)

A woman holds a phone with a sign reads "Veto" during the protest against the law aimed towards regulations of anti-corruption institutions in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Babenko)

DODOMA, Tanzania (AP) — Tanzania’s president has, for the first time since the disputed October election, commented on a six-day internet shutdown as the country went through its worst postelection violence.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Thursday expressed “sympathy” to diplomats and foreign nationals living in the country, saying the government would strive to ensure there is never a repeat of the same.

Hassan won the October election with more than 97% of the vote after candidates from the two main opposition parties were barred from running and the country’s main opposition leader remained in prison facing treason charges.

Violence broke out on election day and went on for days as the internet was shut down amid a heavy police crackdown that left hundreds of people dead, according to rights groups.

Hassan blamed the violence on foreigners and pardoned hundreds of young people who had been arrested, saying they were acting under peer pressure.

Speaking to ambassadors, high commissioners and representatives of international organizations on Thursday in the capital, Dodoma, she sought to reassure envoys of their safety, saying the government would remain vigilant to prevent a repeat of the disruption.

“To our partners in the diplomatic community and foreigners residing here in Tanzania, I express my sincere sympathy for the uncertainty, service restrictions and internet shutdowns you experienced,” she said.

Hassan defended her administration, saying the measures were taken to preserve constitutional order and protect citizens.

“I assure you that we will remain vigilant to ensure your safety and prevent any recurrence of such experiences,” the president told diplomats on Thursday.

Tanzania has, since the October elections, established a commission of inquiry to look into the violence that left hundreds dead and property worth millions of shillings destroyed in a country that has enjoyed relative calm for decades.

Foreign observers said the election failed to meet democratic standards because key opposition figures were barred.

FILE - Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan delivers remarks during a campaign rally ahead of the general elections in Iringa, Tanzania, Oct. 5, 2025. (AP Photo, File)