Joly praises Ukraine’s efforts to root out government corruption

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly ended a twoday visit to Ukraine on Thursday with praise for President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent crackdown on government corruption alongside a promise of money to help strengthen accountability in the country.

Zelenskyy’s government is grappling with a corruption scandal that has claimed the jobs of several senior government officials, including inside the country’s defence ministry.

Corruption is not a new phenomenon to Ukraine, with Zelenskyy having come to power in 2019 under a promise to root it out. But this scandal has emerged as Canada and its allies channel billions of dollars aid into the country to help fight Russia’s invasion.

The allegations are wide-ranging, including kickbacks for the purchase of food for Ukraine’s armed forces, the personal use of luxury cars and the embezzlement of more than $7 million US in humanitarian aid.

Joly did not immediately mention the corruption scandal as she announced Canada’s plans to provide funding for a range of seemingly unrelated accountability mechanisms, but which could help in the grand scheme of things.

The money included millions to help Ukrainian police investigate and prosecute victims of sexual crimes, including those perpetrated by Russian forces during their yearlong invasion.

But Joly later emphasized the importance of fighting corruption in Ukraine at the same time as the country’s military is fighting Russian forces, before praising the Zelenskyy government’s “swift action” on the issue.

“We are also very pleased with the fact that while they are focused on defending their sovereignty and territorial integrity, that they’re able to continue these democratic reforms and do this crackdown on corruption,” she said in a call from Poland.

“Because it is in line with what they’re fighting for on the battlefield, and what Western countries including Canada are also asking for.”