Bangladesh, July 25 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has performed a stark U-turn on legislation that critics said undermined the independence of the countrys key anti-corruption agencies. On July 24, following widespread domestic protests and sharp international backlash, Zelensky introduced a new bill that he claims will restore the autonomy of anti-graft bodies, including the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAPO).

The reversal comes just two days after the Ukrainian leader signed a law that granted sweeping new powers to the Prosecutor Generals office, effectively allowing it to interfere in the work of NABU and SAPO. The controversial measure ignited a...