UK and US warn Zelenskyy against dropping anti-corruption reforms
Britain and the United States have pressed Ukraine to continue Mykhailo Fedorov’s corruption crackdown after the popular defence minister’s sacking.
Using diplomatic backchannels, Kyiv’s two allies expressed concern over Fedorov’s dismissal in Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s cabinet reshuffle last week.
When the rumours surfaced that the Ukrainian President was considering ousting Fedorov, British and American officials were said to have been “hugely surprised” at the possible move.
They feared his sacking could usher in an end to the 35-year-old minister’s attempts to root out corruption and push through technological innovation in Ukraine’s armed forces.
A source told the Telegraph that US officials were particularly concerned that Fedorov’s firing could trigger a backlash from Elon Musk, whose Starlink satellite internet system has been crucial for Kyiv’s military.
Days after the former minister took office earlier this year, he worked closely with the tech trillionaire’s SpaceX to shut off Russia’s use of the system to attack Ukraine.
Fedorov has taken personal credit for the move, which has left Russian troops blind on the front line and is considered one of the main reasons for Ukraine’s recent uplift in fortunes.
“We thought he was doing a good job,” said a well-placed source, who admitted Western officials had been taken aback by the sacking.
But despite their quiet concerns, British and American officials have been incredibly cautious during their interventions.
They are keen not to be seen to be intervening in Ukraine’s domestic politics by urging Zelenskyy to reverse Fedorov’s dismissal.
But given the large amounts of money flowing into Kyiv from Western governments, they deem it important enough to urge the Ukrainian President not to drop his former minister’s anti-corruption reforms.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence, the Pentagon and US State Department did not deny the warnings had been passed through backchannels.
European Nato allies and Canada have pledged to provide €70 billion ($13.7b) in military aid for Ukraine’s defence both in 2026 and 2027.
Much of this money is being channelled through the war-torn country’s domestic defence industry to finance the production of drones and missiles.
Fedorov made rooting out corruption in defence contracting a large part of his focus during his time in the Ministry of Defence.
His dismissal triggered a domestic crisis in Ukraine after street protests erupted to denounce the move by Zelenskyy.
The Ukrainian President’s decision has resulted in one of the largest shake-ups of Ukraine’s military since the beginning of the war.
Zelenskyy fired Fedorov because of a row between the former defence minister and General Oleksandr Syrsky over the future direction of Kyiv’s armed forces.
As protests continued, Zelenskyy also sacked Syrsky as his top general.
Fedorov has reportedly turned down defence innovation roles on Ukraine’s national security council, while protest organisers have urged fresh protests calling for Fedorov to be reinstated as Defence Minister.
In a statement to reporters on Thursday, Fedorov said he would only accept a return to his old role where he could combat “corruption”, “root out a culture of lies” and “complete the army’s transformation”.
“I will not accept any position other than Minister of Defence..
“No other role carries the actual authority to combat procurement corruption, complete the army’s transformation, plan and execute asymmetric operations against the enemy, root out a culture of lies and unaccountability within the system.”
By returning to the fold, Western officials would be almost instantly relieved about the future of Kyiv’s anti-corruption reforms.
Multinational force prepares deployment
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Britain took command of the multinational force preparing to deploy to Ukraine to uphold any peace deal which may emerge.
Lieutenant General Tom Bateman, a three-star British commander, took over from his French counterpart in a ceremony in Paris.
Multinational Force Ukraine is the result of the UK-French-led Coalition of the Willing’s planning to support Kyiv during any ceasefire.
The force is planning to help secure Ukraine’s skies and seas, as well as rebuild the war-torn country’s ground forces.
Wes Streeting, the new Defence Secretary, said: “The front line in Ukraine is the front line for our freedom and democracy. Our commitment to supporting Ukraine – both in the fight now, and in preparation to secure the peace we want to see – remains steadfast and will not waver. We are proud to take command of this multinational force, which demonstrates the leading role we will continue to play in supporting our Ukrainian friends.
“Lieutenant General Bateman is a distinguished officer who has already displayed military leadership on a national and international level. His command will help strengthen our efforts to support Ukraine’s future security.”
Bateman added: “At a time of continued Russian aggression against Ukraine, our work demonstrates the enduring commitment of participating nations to Ukraine’s long-term security, sovereignty and stability.
“I am honoured to work side by side with the new French Deputy Commander to provide continued British and French leadership to this important multinational force which has been declared ‘ready to operate’ at the recent Coalition of the Willing summit.”
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