President Zelensky is right to root out corruption

War requires emergency deals for all sorts of supplies, and so not to hand operational information to the enemy, details of contracts cannot always be published. But the combination of big money and secrecy can enable corruption to flourish. Ukraine has not been immune to this, as President Zelensky has recognised. Among other items, generators and mess hall food have been the subject of apparently dodgy dealing.

The effect is corrosive. Soldiers feel betrayed when they know that, while they shed blood, others well behind the front line turn a profit. More important still, endemic corruption risks alienating Ukraine’s Western backers, who need to know that the representatives they hand vital equipment to are not intent on running a racket. Longer term, corruption could hamper Ukraine’s oft-stated aim of becoming a thriving, economically viable Western democracy.

Thankfully, no one understands these problems better than Zelensky. He was famously catapulted to the presidency after playing a teacher outraged by corruption in a hit television show. In his current position, however, the stakes are very real. Corruption is frequently cited as one major reason Ukraine was less prepared to resist Russian forces in 2014 than it was last year.

Removing allegedly corrupt officials marks a positive step. Zelensky can also continue to strengthen Ukraine’s already improving anti-graft institutions, which often play a key role uncovering backhanders. If Britain can supply expertise for that task as well as equipment for the front, it should do so, knowing both will make valuable contributions to the war effort. Ukraine deserves not just to win, but to become a resilient nation.