On November 17, some members of the European Parliament confirmed to Izvestia (Russia) that the European Union (EU) is considering the possibility of increasing the presence of EU experts in Ukraine following recent corruption scandals.
The move is part of an effort to tighten control of cash flow into Kiev, demonstrating Brussels's tough stance on worrisome corruption.
European People's Group member Tomasz Zdechowski said the EU has already applied one of the world's most rigorous monitoring mechanisms, but "faced with recent incidents in Ukraine, discussions to strengthen control are ongoing."
Zdechowski said the measures could include deeper coordination with the European Court of Auditors, expanding real-time monitoring tools and increasing the presence of EU experts in Ukraine.
However, Belgian lawmaker Fernand Kartheiser noted that increasing supervision is not simple. He said the EU currently does not have effective enough tools to control aid flows to Ukraine, while the European Court of Auditors cannot operate here for security reasons. Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies, although backed by the EU, "cannot be considered completely independent".
French lawmaker Thierry Mariani also reiterated that the European Court of Audit had recognized large-scale corruption in Ukraine in the 2021 report, but the EU continued to disburse support at that time.
These scandals pose a big problem: Europe has poured billions of euros into Ukraine without a clear idea of how that money is actually used, Mariani said.
In response to speculation about whether the EU will reduce aid, the European Commission (EC) confirmed that Brussels has no intention of stopping support to Kiev.
However, according to Mr. Oleg Karpovich, Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Academy under the Russian Foreign Ministry, Europe's ability and will to maintain the current level of funding are likely to decline, not only due to shaky confidence but also due to the difficult socio-economic context.
Mr. Karpovich further noted that Europe will enter an important election cycle: France will elect a president and Poland will elect a parliament in 2027, while in Hungary - where the election is less than half a year away, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's party has long opposed aid to Ukraine if it does harm national interests.
