Overview

• After a visit to Ukraine, the Bundestag European Affairs Committee chair told RND that Germany must be “very clear and very hard” on corruption in Ukraine.
• He praised Ukrainian civil society for pushing back against an effort by President Volodymyr Zelensky and parts of parliament to limit anti-corruption prosecutors and investigations.
• In July, the government’s bid to place NABU and the anti-corruption prosecutor under the General Prosecutor drew protests and EU criticism, and Zelensky later signed a law restoring their independence.
• Hofreiter said democracy is strongly anchored in Ukraine and noted that many there want Germany to scrutinize reforms more closely because Ukrainian democratic survival and German interests are at stake.
• On security, he called debate over Western protection troops largely theoretical for now, saying robust guarantees—potentially with German forces—would only follow a credible ceasefire.