Romania's next government likely to include all four pro-European parties, party leader says
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Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Zelenskyy responds to growing anti-corruption protests in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday urged national unity as demonstrators took to the streets of more than a dozen cities nationwide to protest a controversial bill that critics said will neuter two key anti-corruption agencies. Ukrainian media estimated that thousands of people gathered near the presidential office in the capital Kyiv on Wednesday evening, despite a nightly curfew and the ever-present threat of Russian drone and missile strikes. Those gathered were protesting a controversial law approved by parliament and signed by Zelenskyy on Tuesday. The bill will bring the Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and its partner organization, the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), under the direct control of the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO). The prosecutor general is appointed by the president, prompting concern among critics that the law will give the president's office undue influence over NABU and SAPO. The president sought to ease tensions on Wednesday, promising to put forward a new bill to ensure the independence of the anti-corruption bodies. Zelenskyy said in a post to Telegram that he met with the heads of all law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies. "We agreed that the heads of these institutions will jointly propose an action plan -- a plan of concrete steps that can strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine," he wrote. "Of course, everyone has heard what people are saying these days -- what they are saying on social media, to each other, on the streets. It's not falling on deaf ears." "We've analyzed all the concerns, all the aspects of what needs to be changed and what needs to be stepped up," he added. "And what will remain most important is not losing our national unity, ending the war, stopping this Russian evil and securing a dignified peace for Ukraine," Zelenskyy wrote. "And exactly as we all envision it -- as a full-fledged part of Europe. We'll make it happen." On Thursday, Zelenskyy said had approved the text of the new bill which would be sent to parliament. "The most important thing is real tools, no Russian ties and the independence of NABU and [SAPO]," the president wrote. Both NABU and SAPO were set up in the aftermath of Ukraine's pro-Western Maidan Revolution in 2014, with the intention of rooting out systemic corruption and helping Kyiv reform its democratic system with an eye on EU accession. MORE: Zelenskyy faces major anti-corruption protests as Ukraine prepares for Russia talks Critics of the new legislation say it constitutes a power grab by Zelenskyy and his presidential office -- which is headed by influential chief of staff Andriy Yermak -- that undermines Ukrainian democracy and threatens the country's EU ambitions. Zelenskyy and his supporters have defended the measures as necessary to root out Russian influence in NABU and SAPO. The passing of the law followed a series of raids on NABU employees by officers from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the PGO on Monday. Officers also began inspecting the handling of state secrets at SAPO. "The anti-corruption infrastructure will work," Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram late on Tuesday. "Only without Russian influences -- everything needs to be cleansed of this. And there should be more justice." The domestic political crisis erupted as a Ukrainian delegation headed to Istanbul, Turkey, for the latest round of ceasefire talks with Russian negotiators. Wednesday's meeting there ended after less than an hour. Vladimir Medinsky, who led the Russian delegation, told reporters after the talks that the two sides agreed on a new prisoner exchange of at least 1,200 people. The two sides also discussed the memoranda exchanged during the last round of talks on June 2, Medinsky said, adding that the delegations were "quite far from each other." The parties agreed to continue negotiations, Medinsky said. When asked about a potential meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Medinsky said any potential meeting should be carefully prepared. Cross-border drone strikes continued despite the new talks. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces downed 42 Ukrainian drones overnight into Thursday morning. Russian drones and missiles, meanwhile, targeted Odesa, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Sumy and Mykolaiv regions, Zelenskyy said in a post to Telegram. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 103 strike drones and four missiles into the country overnight into Thursday morning. Ninety drones and one missile were shot down or suppressed, the air force said, with impacts by 13 drones and three missiles across 11 locations. Falling debris from interceptions was reported in six places. MORE: Scale of Russia-Ukraine drone strikes builds ahead of possible ceasefire talks "Russia does not stop its terror, blocks diplomacy and that is why it deserves full-scale sanctions responses and our strikes on its logistics, military bases and military production facilities," the president wrote. "We will do everything to make diplomacy work," he added. "But it is Russia that must end this war that it started itself." ABC News' Ellie Kaufman, Will Gretsky, Tanya Stukalova, Fidel Pavlenko and Julia Drozd contributed to this report. Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Russia rejects Trump's ultimatum, ramps up attacks
Retired Air Force Gen. Charles Wald joins 'Fox News Live' to weigh in on Russia's increased attacks on Ukraine despite President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Vladimir Putin.
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Portugal Names Pereira as Central Bank Chief, Replacing Centeno
The Portuguese government nominated Alvaro Santos Pereira to head the central bank, replacing one of the euro area's most dovish interest rate-setters after just one term. Pereira, 53, is currently the OECD's chief economist. He will succeed Mario Centeno, Minister of the Presidency Antonio Leitao Amaro said at a press conference Thursday in Lisbon following a cabinet meeting.
