Angry at Being Called a Corrupt Country, Zelensky: Former European Union Boss Spreads Russia’s Narrative
KIEV – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned allegations of rampant corruption in Ukraine was a “Russian narrative” designed to erode Western support for Kiev.
Zelensky expressed his anger at European figures on Friday (6/10/2023).
Speaking after a summit of the bloc’s leaders in the Spanish city of Granada, Zelensky accused former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker of spreading Russian propaganda about Ukraine.
Earlier this week, Juncker said Ukraine was plagued by corruption “at all levels of society” and should not be welcomed into the bloc any time soon.
Zelensky insisted “not a single dollar was stolen from our partners” amid the conflict with Russia, but he acknowledged there were “different people and different cases.”
“First of all, this is the well-known Russian narrative about corruption. They understand that they cannot break the overall European unity and support for Ukraine. “The US and its intelligence agencies are studying the roots of this idea, how it weakens society, support in the world,” Zelensky said.
Rather than spreading the “Russian narrative” about corruption in Ukraine, Juncker should personally do more for Ukraine, Zelensky suggested.
“That doesn’t interest him? Now he decides to write some Russian narrative because everyone has forgotten who he is? I think it’s stupid,” Zelensky stressed.
Juncker, who led the European Commission between 2014 and 2019, made the controversial remarks in an interview with Germany’s Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper, published earlier this week.
He argued Ukraine must undergo “massive” reforms before it can join the EU, while Brussels “should not make false promises to the Ukrainian people who are on the brink of suffering.”
“Those who have dealt with Ukraine know that this is a country that is corrupt at all levels of society,” Juncker said bluntly.
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