Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is facing what could be the biggest challenge to his government since the Russian invasion.
He came to power in 2019, promising to tackle state corruption. But he’s found himself this week, uncomfortably close to a $100m corruption scandal.
A group of officials, government ministers and businessmen are accused of arranging kickbacks using the state nuclear energy firm. One of them is the co-owner of the television production company founded by Zelenskyy.
So, in a country at war, how will this scandal affect morale? And how is it being received by donors in the EU and elsewhere?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom
Guests:
Peter Zalmayev – Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative
Olena Tregub – Secretary-general of Ukraine’s Independent Defence Anti-Corruption Commission
Ben Aris – Political and security analyst for Eastern Europe; chief of Intellinews and a former Moscow bureau chief for The Daily Telegraph
Published On 16 Nov 2025
