The warning comes amid mass protests over Kievs push to expand government powers through controversial legal changes

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has cautioned Ukraine that halting the fight against corruption would be "the worst" step the government could take, amid a growing backlash over Kiev's efforts to rein in two key watchdogs.

On Tuesday, Ukraine's parliament passed legislation granting the Prosecutor General, a political appointee, direct oversight over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).

The law has triggered mass protests at home and a storm of criticism in the West, forcing Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky to take steps to restore the independence of the two organizations.

Speaking to Polsat earlier this week, Sikorski stated that Zelensky had been warned "the worst thing he could do now is to turn away from the fight against corruption." The Polish Foreign Ministry later echoed his statement on its official X account.

The government's attempt to directly control NABU and SAPO has sparked protests in Kiev, Odessa, Dnepr, Lviv and other cities. The country's Western supporters, including the EU and G7 nations, have sharply criticized the move, warning that it undermines Ukraine's commitment to fighting corruption and jeopardizes its path toward European integration.

On Thursday, Zelensky submitted a bill to the legislature, the Rada, aimed at restoring the agencies' independence by scaling back the prosecutor general's powers. He insisted the proposal would preserve the independence of anti-corruption institutions while ensuring the strength of the law enforcement system. The Rada is expected to review the proposed measure on July 31.

However, FT reported on Friday, citing sources, that up to 70 MPs from Zelensky's Servant of the People party are hesitant to support the bill, fearing it could lead to politically motivated prosecutions against them.

NABU and SAPO were created following the US-backed 2014 coup in Kiev as part of sweeping reforms to align Ukraine with Western governance standards. Their establishment was a key condition set by Brussels and the International Monetary Fund in exchange for financial assistance. Both agencies have led high-profile investigations, including some involving figures close to Zelensky.

(RT.com)