Zelenskyy signs key anti-corruption reform to unlock €600 million from EU
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law launching a major reform of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA).
On July 27, Zelenskyy signed a draft law introducing amendments to several Ukrainian legal acts. The changes aim to strengthen the institutional capacity of the National Agency of Ukraine for Finding, Tracing, and Management of Assets Derived from Corruption and Other Crimes.
Notably, the law now opens the way for Ukraine to receive €600 million in financial aid from the European Union.
The bill also provides for an independent audit, new rules for leadership selection, and the transparent management of seized assets. It includes:
- New requirements for the head of ARMA;
- A competitive selection process involving international experts;
- Oversight of asset transfers.
Reform will be delayed
Earlier this week, it became known that the European Union will significantly cut the next tranche under the Ukraine Facility program. The official reason is Ukraine's slow pace of reforms.
Reports say three reforms are still underway:
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Decentralization reform;
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ARMA reform;
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Selection of judges for the High Anti-Corruption Court.
According to the partial payment methodology adopted earlier in 2025, if a reform is not completed on time, nearly €1.5 billion will be withheld for up to 12 months.
If all conditions are met, Ukraine could receive the withheld €1.5 billion by the end of the year. In other words, the country can access these funds if it completes the reforms on schedule.
For more details on the reasons for the tranche cut and the amount Ukraine will still receive, read RBC-Ukraine's report.
In early April this year, Ukraine received another aid tranche of €3.5 billion under the Ukraine Facility program.
