Ukraine's president tries to oust top judges amid warnings of violence

Judges on Ukraine's constitutional court have warned that the country could face violent collapse if its president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, pursues a bid to dissolve the court after it quashed key anti-corruption laws.

The European Union and United States expressed alarm after the court ruled last week that Ukrainian deputies and officials should not face criminal prosecution for providing false information on asset declarations, and stripped powers from the country's national anti-corruption agency.

Mr Zelenskiy condemned the rulings – which resulted from complaints lodged by politicians with links to wealthy “oligarchs” and pro-Russian parties – and said they could spark angry street protests and prompt Ukraine’s western allies to withdraw financial and other support.

The former comedian, who was elected last year on a pledge to clean up Ukraine’s murky politics, has tabled a Bill to disband the constitutional court and reinstate the anti-graft legislation, and warned deputies that he could dissolve parliament and seek early elections if they refuse to support it.

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War

Ihor Slidenko, a judge of the court, warned on Tuesday that if a majority of 226 deputies backed the president's Bill, then "what come's next is the collapse of Ukraine and war, because apart from those 226 no one else will recognise it".

“If there are attempts to forcibly seize the constitutional court, I mean the courthouse, then it will mean war. There are political forces that under no circumstances will agree to such a development of events, to the usurpation of power,” he told Ukrainian media.

Mr Slidenko said that in urging deputies to disband the court, Mr Zelenskiy was inciting them to “overthrow the state system” in terms that could earn him “150 years in jail”.

The chairman of the court, Oleksandr Tupytsky, said if the constitutional court stopped functioning, theoretically a region of Ukraine could try to secede and no legal body could authorise a security operation to prevent it.

The warning is particularly concerning for a country that saw Russia annex its Crimea region in 2014 and which is now in the seventh year of a war on its eastern flank with Moscow-led separatists.

‘Bloody chaos’

Mr Zelenskiy told deputies, by contrast, that it was their failure to disband the court would actually lead to “bloody chaos”, because the nation would protest in fury at politicians’ inability to crush the graft and impunity that fuelled Ukraine’s 2013-14 revolution.

The EU said in a statement that Ukraine’s commitment to fighting corruption was a key element of its agreements with Brussels on economic and political ties, financial support and visa-free travel for its citizens to the bloc.

“We urge the Ukrainian authorities to rapidly restore the legislation . . . and encourage the president, the government and [parliament] to work together towards a comprehensive and sustainable solution. The EU stands ready to support our Ukrainian partners in this endeavour.”