Neutrality Studies USA Rules Ukraine Through Anticorruption Agency | Prof. Ivan Katchanovski
Nov 30, 2025
Join Professor Ivan Katchanovski, a Ukrainian-Canadian political scientist known for his work on Ukrainian politics, as he unpacks the explosive corruption scandal involving Ukraine's NABU agency. With high-profile politicians implicated, Katchanovski links these revelations to Trump's peace plan and explores how Western influence shapes Ukraine's political landscape. He reveals why Zelensky struggles with NABU's independence, the impact of Western funding, and the potential risks the scandal poses for Ukraine's future negotiations.
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Corruption Scandal Weakens Zelensky
- NABU exposed large-scale corruption tied to President Volodymyr Zelensky and close associates through recorded tapes and dealings with state firms like Energoatom.
- The scandal weakened Zelensky's domestic position and limited his ability to resist external pressure on peace negotiations.
Tapes Undermine Zelensky's Public Image
- NABU's released recordings implicated multiple senior officials including Yermak and ministers, and showed elite conversations demeaning Ukrainians.
- Those revelations damaged Zelensky's heroic image and eroded public trust crucial for his wartime leadership.
NABU as A Western-Backed Power Center
- NABU was created after Maidan with heavy Western involvement and was designed to be independent from Ukrainian presidents like Zelensky.
- The agency functions as a tool of Western influence, limiting Kyiv's domestic control over prosecutions of elites.
