Constanze Stelzenmüller
@ConStelz
Director CUSE Germany explainer etc. @ Brookings; FT contributing columnist. Wizards fan. (I know.) pic: Marc Darchinger. Views my own, people.
This* is going to become my standard response to everything. You’re welcome. *now with improved eyeroll because, you know, standards
It’s no exaggeration that Ukrainian public opinion is in an absolute firestorm after the parliament today approved a law essentially dismantling independent anti-corruption agencies, just days after SBU raided key investigators. The law isn’t enacted until Zelensky signs it — and…
Also a reminder that Ukraine, unlike Russia, is a democracy with a strong civil society, despite all its problems. No such protests would be allowed for a second in Moscow.
Large protest in Kyiv tonight, the first signs of public dissent against Zelenskyy’s government since the full scale invasion, as demonstrators rally against the passing of a bill stripping anti-corruption bodies of their powers
„Damit sind die Einstufung der AfD als rechtsextremistischer Verdachtsfall die Einstufung der inzwischen aufgelösten "Jungen Alternative" als gesichert rechtsextremistisch … rechtskräftig“ Rechtsextremer Verdachtsfall: Gericht weist AfD-Beschwerde ab zdfheute.de/politik/deutsc…
FT reporting EU close to accepting 15% US tariffs with some bells and whistles. As I suspected the Japan deal changed the equation: “Japan made clear the terms of the shakedown,” said one EU diplomat. “Most member states are holding their noses and could take this deal.”
Bingo. Germany was aligning on France’s proposal to escalate-to-deescalate with retaliation. If a Japan style deal is on the table for the EU, I imagine Germany will dither again. Merz and Macron discussions this evening in Berlin could be really consequential.
Trump’s decision to give Russia 50 more days to wage war on Ukraine without further penalty has halted a bipartisan push in the Senate to impose harsh new sanctions on countries that do business with Moscow. @RobertJimison nytimes.com/2025/07/23/us/…
The third round of Russia-Ukraine talks has wrapped up in Istanbul, per Russian state media. Tass says they have agreed to new prisoner swaps, including civilians as well as soldiers. We await statements from the delegations.
Präsident Selenskyj wird ein neues Gesetz ins Parlament einbringen, dass die Unabhängigkeit der Antikorruptionsbehörden in der Ukraine wieder stärkt. Offenbar haben die Proteste in der Ukraine und deutluche Interventionen der EU-Kommission gewirkt.
⚡️ Zelenskyy says he’ll submit a bill to Ukraine’s parliament aimed at strengthening the independence of anti-corruption agencies. The draft will be prepared jointly with law enforcement and anti-corruption officials. united24media.com/latest-news/ze…
Ukrainian lawmakers say they expect to gather in a session already next week to vote on a new bill, to be introduced by Zelensky, that would restore the independence of the NABU and SAP anti-corruption bodies.
A day after protests broke out over dismantling the independence of Ukrainian anti-corruption institutions, Zelensky says he will introduce to parliament new legislation that will “strengthen the independence” of these institutions. Let’s see what the new bill will actually say —…
A huge & unforced error by Zelensky, right when White House policy looked to be moving in a slightly more favourable direction for him.
Happening now: The largest protest of wartime Ukraine is underway in central Kyiv over President Zelensky’s push to dismantle the country’s independent anticorruption agencies. Thousands of protesters and more pouring in. Chants of “Shame!” among others. They demand Zelensky veto…
Indeed. Ukrainians are formidably resilient
Also a reminder that Ukraine, unlike Russia, is a democracy with a strong civil society, despite all its problems. No such protests would be allowed for a second in Moscow.
“the vote to undermine Ukraine’s most consequential anti-corruption reforms casts a shadow over the country’s future course. Ukraine has been building up to this moment for several weeks, with what appears to be a growing crackdown on internal dissent” economist.com/europe/2025/07…
This is a bad development, and not helpful to Ukraine’s EU accession process. Hopefully Kyiv will reconsider!
According to information from Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak, the president has signed bill №12414 on the liquidation of NABU and SAP.
A European Commission spokesperson warned that the move could hold back Ukraine’s bid to join the EU and pointed out that Brussels’ funding to Kyiv was “conditional on progress on transparency, judicial reform and democratic government”. ft.com/content/21cf3d… via @FT
Devastating: Extreme right polling neck-to-neck with chancellor Merz’s CDU for 1st time (Merz has promised to halve support for the AfD); SPD numbers continue to decline. The coalition badly needs to get a grip on domestic policy issues (record debt, government dysfunctionality)
Sonntagsfrage zur Bundestagswahl • Forsa für RTL/n-tv: CDU/CSU 25 % | AfD 25 % | SPD 13 % | GRÜNE 12 % | DIE LINKE 12 % | BSW 4 % | FDP 3 % | Sonstige 6 % ➤ Übersicht: wahlrecht.de/umfragen/ ➤ Verlauf: wahlrecht.de/umfragen/forsa…
Faszinierend.
Holger Friedrich, Verleger der @BerlinerZeitung, war mal wieder in Bergkarabach und konnte dem autoritär herrschenden Präsidenten von #Aserbaidschan, Ilham Aliyew, öffentlich eine Frage stellen. (1/7)
Wann verstehen wir, dass Putin (und hinter ihm China, Iran und Nordkorea) mit diesen entsetzlichen täglichen Bombenangriffen auch Europa politisch zersetzen und zermürben will? Und dass die Ukraine uns mit verteidigt??
450 Drohnen, Marschflugkörper, ballistische Raketen und aeroballistische Raketen ließ Putin letzte Nacht auf die Ukraine abfeuern. Menschen übernachten in U-Bahn-Stationen, Wohnhäuser brennen in Kyjiw. Wir Europäer können das nicht einfach geschehen lassen.
450 Drohnen, Marschflugkörper, ballistische Raketen und aeroballistische Raketen ließ Putin letzte Nacht auf die Ukraine abfeuern. Menschen übernachten in U-Bahn-Stationen, Wohnhäuser brennen in Kyjiw. Wir Europäer können das nicht einfach geschehen lassen.
Statement by @weijia on behalf of the @whca on Trump excluding the @WSJ from the White House press pool as punishment for its coverage:
While the EU is discussing plans to seek lit Russian hydrocarbon imports by the end of 2027, Russia, Hungary and Serbia are discussing plans for a new oil pipeline — to open in 2027.
Венгрия, Сербия и Россия обсудили строительстве нового нефтепровода rbc.ru/politics/21/07…
terrible
Massive Russian Geran-2 drone on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.