Kowal: Confronting graft head-on is proof Ukraine’s reforms are taking hold

Corruption remains a challenge in Ukraine, as it does in many other countries, but the nation’s willingness to address the issue openly is a sign of genuine democratic determination, said UWC Executive Committee member Zenon Kowal in an interview with the French-language TV network TV5MONDE.

Kowal, who also advises the European Congress of Ukrainians and the Association of Ukrainians in Belgium, said that talking openly about corruption is itself evidence that Ukraine is confronting the problem.

“It’s encouraging that people in Ukraine openly talk about corruption, and that current investigations are not targeting scapegoats but reaching the highest levels of government,” Kowal said.

This shows that the system Ukraine has put in place is starting to work. 

“If we weren’t talking about corruption, that would be far more serious,” he said.

In Ukraine, society actively debates corruption, which means people are not staying silent about the problem but are seeking real mechanisms to overcome it.

“Talking about corruption means acknowledging its existence, demanding accountability, and creating the conditions to root it out systemically,” Kowal said.