The Trump administration has not yet commented publicly on a corruption investigation unfolding within Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government and close associates.
U.S. officials offered no response when asked about the probe, which has triggered the resignations of several senior Ukrainian figures following accusations involving tens of millions of dollars in illicit payments.
Concerns over corruption have shaped U.S.–Ukraine relations for years. In 2019, the Trump administration paused approximately $400 million in military support to Ukraine, citing the need for stronger anti-corruption efforts. During the same period, allies of then-President Donald Trump sought information involving political opponent Joe Biden, who had previously served as vice president.
At the time, Biden’s son Hunter served on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Joe Biden later pressed Ukraine to remove prosecutor Viktor Shokin, a move backed by Western governments that argued the prosecutor was not pursuing corruption cases effectively.
Shokin has disputed that conclusion, claiming he was removed because he had been examining Burisma. U.S. and European officials have rejected that assertion.
President Trump has been working to facilitate negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Since the full-scale invasion in 2022, the United States has provided Ukraine with around $175 billion in assistance.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) — announced that a 15-month investigation, known as “Operation Midas,” uncovered an alleged bribery network involving Energoatom, the state nuclear energy company. Investigators reported that contractors paid 10–15% kickbacks to secure government contracts, totaling roughly $100 million.
Prosecutors have identified Timur Mindich — a longtime associate of Zelenskyy and co-owner of his former production company — as the suspected organizer. Authorities say German Galushchenko, who served as energy minister until July and remained a government adviser, helped facilitate elements of the alleged scheme. Both Galushchenko and his successor, Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk, submitted their resignations at Zelenskyy’s request.
Officials reported that Mindich fled the country shortly before his home was searched. Five people have been detained, and seven others are now considered official suspects.
NABU officials stated that funds were transferred to a former Ukrainian deputy prime minister, referred to in internal documents under the codename “Che Guevara,” with approximately $1.2 million traced to that individual.
According to law enforcement agencies, the accused parties leveraged their positions to influence personnel decisions, procurement processes, and key financial operations within the energy sector.
Although Zelenskyy has not been directly tied to the alleged misconduct, the case challenges his longstanding pledge to combat corruption. He has openly supported the investigation, saying that accountability is essential.
Earlier this year, Zelenskyy withdrew a proposal that would have increased presidential oversight of Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption institutions after facing public pushback.
Prior to entering politics, Zelenskyy frequently addressed corruption in his comedic career, and his 2019 presidential campaign focused on dismantling long-standing political patronage networks.
Nearly seven years later, with elections postponed due to wartime conditions, some observers argue that power has become increasingly centralized among a small group of officials within his administration.
Investigators say some of the funds uncovered in the probe were meant for protective equipment to shield critical energy sites from Russian attacks. Ukraine continues to experience severe electricity shortages, with many civilians encountering daily power outages as winter approaches.
The European Commission recently acknowledged Ukraine’s progress in anti-corruption efforts but cautioned that limited advances and reports of political interference could slow the nation’s bid for European Union membership. The Commission urged continued momentum to protect recent reforms.
