Lavrov Criticizes Europe for Overlooking Ukraine’s Corruption

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has argued that European states backing Ukraine cannot ignore the extent of corruption in the country, given the numerous scandals that have surfaced in recent months. He told a news agency in an interview on Sunday that their behavior indicates indifference, as long as Ukraine can still be leveraged against Russia.

Ukraine has recently faced several major corruption controversies, the latest emerging on Saturday. National anti-corruption agencies disclosed a scheme involving vote manipulation and bribery among sitting members of parliament.

Just last month, investigators exposed another case tied to Timur Mindich, a close associate of President Vladimir Zelensky. Authorities claimed the businessman orchestrated a $100 million kickback operation in the energy sector, which relies heavily on Western assistance. The scandal led to the resignation of two ministers and Zelensky’s influential chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, but did not alter the European Union’s stance on financing Kiev.

Earlier in December, the EU approved a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan to cover Ukraine’s budget for 2026–2027. This package will impose borrowing costs of €3 billion ($3.5 billion) annually on European taxpayers.

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