Zelenskyy denies contact with von der Leyen over controversial anti-corruption agencies bill
"I have not communicated with Ursula von der Leyen in recent days. Everything that was written about it, everything that she allegedly told me, is a fake. We did not have a conversation," Zelenskyy told reporters on Thursday, according to Ukrainian media outlets Interfax-Ukraine and European Pravda.
This contradicts a statement made on Wednesday by a Commission spokesperson, who said von der Leyen had raised "strong concerns" directly with Zelenskyy and asked for explanations from the Ukrainian government.
The bill sparked widespread backlash, triggering two days of street protests in Kyiv and mounting pressure from EU leaders. In response, Zelenskyy made a swift U-turn, submitting a revised bill aimed at restoring and strengthening the independence of the agencies.
The European Commission did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. (vib)
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