Ukrainian analysts have told Newsweek the move undoes a decade of democratic progress, although its president Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he backed a new draft law aimed at strengthening the independence the anti-corruption institutions. Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian president's office and the Kremlin for comment.

Ukraine closed out its third round of direct talks with Russia on Wednesday with a proposal to hold a “leaders’ summit” by the end of August with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin,