President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed criticism of the controversial new law that strips Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies of independence, saying on July 24 that there should have been a dialogue between parliament and society before its adoption.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has assured that the situation surrounding Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) will not impact negotiations on the country’s accession to the European Union.

Mr Zelensky faced unprecedented pushback after signing a law that handed control of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sapo) over to the prosecutor general, a position directly appointed by the president.

Negotiators between Moscow and Kyiv discussed the possibility of a direct meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Mr Zelensky said Russia was still attempting to advance on several parts of the front. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Ukrainian analysts have told Newsweek the move undoes a decade of democratic progress, although its president Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he backed a new draft law aimed at strengthening the independence the anti-corruption institutions. Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian president's office and the Kremlin for comment.

Ukraine saw nationwide demonstrations over controversial anti-corruption reforms.

President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill limiting two Ukrainian anticorruption agencies. After street protests and other criticism, he said he would propose a new law restoring their independence.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that Ukraine has secured funding to acquire three U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems: two financed by Germany and one by Norway. However, Ukraine ultimately needs ten such systems to meet its defense needs.