Corruption charges against Zelenskyy aide threaten EU membership bid

A corruption scandal involving a former aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emerged at a critical moment for Ukraine's European Union membership push. The criminal charges raise fresh questions about whether Kyiv has sufficiently tackled graft to qualify for accelerated accession. EU officials have made anti-corruption progress a condition for fast-tracking Ukraine's candidacy, making the timing of the charges politically sensitive as negotiations advance.