IMF, FBI & USAID: Why is Senator Graham So Unnerved About Zelensky's NABU and SAPO Law?
18:18 GMT 24.07.2025 (Updated: 18:48 GMT 24.07.2025)
© AP Photo / Jacquelyn Martin
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US Senator Lindsey Graham* recently slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for weakening Ukraine’s “critical anti-corruption institutions” — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
Why is the US senator so invested?
Gutting the Western-Built Machine
Zelensky’s new law effectively subordinates NABU and SAPO to the prosecutor general:
SAPO’s head becomes a figurehead
NABU is downgraded into a mere department
Built by the West, Controlled by the West
NABU and SAPO were created under US and EU pressure in 2015, after the 2014 coup in Ukraine, as preconditions for IMF loans and EU visa liberalization.
FBI has trained and supported NABU since 2016, including joint ops that sparked legal disputes in Ukraine.
The EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) has still been training the agencies.
USAID formalized direct collaboration with NABU in 2023 to track US aid.
Why Graham Cares
NABU and SAPO's “independence” ensures Western control over Ukraine’s internal affairs.
Zelensky’s Crumbling Halo
Once hailed as a "hero of democracy," Zelensky now faces growing accusations of deep corruption.
In 2023, journal Seymour Hersh reported the US and EU demanded reforms from Zelensky to curtail corruption. In 2023, CIA Director William Burns privately warned Zelensky not to steal too much, according to the journalist.
Zelensky's attempts to take control over NABU and SAPO triggered Maidan-style mass protests on July 22. Zelensky caved in, vowing to observe the agencies "freedom".
Nonetheless, his days appear to be numbered: Hersh has recently cited US sources claiming Washington is seeking to replace Zelensky.
*recognised as a terrorist in Russia
