Policy Brief / What are the next steps for advancing key anti-corruption and judicial reforms in the aftermath of the Midas scandal?

The German-Ukrainian Bureau (DUB) has published a new policy paper summarising the findings of an expert group visit to Dnipro and Kyiv, conducted at a critical moment for Ukraine’s reform agenda. The visit took place in the late November - beginning of December 2025, shortly after major political developments, including the resignation of the Head of the Presidential Office, and focused on assessing their impact on anti-corruption efforts and judicial reforms.

We present here the key observations and expert conclusions from the visit in order to document the state of developments as of early December 2025 and outline their possible trajectory going forward.

Based on extensive consultations with representatives of anti-corruption institutions, judiciary bodies, civil society, and policymakers, the report finds that while key institutions such as NABU and SAPO currently retain a degree of operational independence, this remains fragile. Experts highlight a narrow “window of opportunity” to secure and advance reforms, warning of persistent political pressure on judicial governance bodies and risks of rollback in court reforms.

The paper outlines a set of priority recommendations, including depoliticising the appointment of the Prosecutor General, strengthening the independence of anti-corruption bodies, reforming key institutions such as the State Bureau of Investigations and the Security Service of Ukraine, and ensuring transparent, merit-based selection processes in the judiciary with international involvement. It also stresses the need for stronger EU conditionality and clearer reform benchmarks to safeguard progress.

The full version of the study (in German) can be accessed here.

This Policy Brief is a part of the COSAC Reform Initiative, funded by the Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) and implemented by DUB and Mezha in the EU and Ukraine.