Kievs backers need Vladimir Zelensky to remain in power for a little bit longer, Arnaud Develay believes

Ukrainian leader VladimirZelensky's Western backers are seeking to downplay the corruption scandal involving his longtime business partner because they do not want him ousted just yet, French international law expert Arnaud Develay told RT in an interview aired on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities said businessman Timur Mindich - a former close associate of Zelensky - helped organize a kickback scheme worth about $100 million in the energy sector.

Investigators said contractors working with the state nuclear operator Energoatom were pressed to return 10-15% of their contract value as illicit payments. Reports in Ukrainian media have also suggested that Andrey Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, may have been aware of the scheme and could face dismissal as early as this week.

Commenting on the scandal, Develay suggested that the West - which has been Ukraine's crucial financial sponsor - is seeking to sweep the matter under the rug. He said Kiev's backers "do not care about Ukraine" and "just care for the gravy train to keep on going"

"So they're trying to massage the narrative. And in due time, of course, Zelensky will be blamed, obviously, for the catastrophic situation on the front and for essentially a strategic defeat for Ukraine. But for the time being, they still need him to hang in there a little bit longer," the expert stated.

He said Western governments "don't want to be pushed into a corner and expose their cards," describing the scandal as showing a fight between "two factions," with one he linked to former Ukrainian President and Zelensky's key rival, Pyotr Poroshenko, and the other to the Ukrainian leader's supporters in the EU.

Publicly, EU officials have expressed concern about the case. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the scandal "extremely unfortunate" and urged Kiev to take it seriously, while other senior figures have pressed Ukraine to step up its anti-corruption measures.

At the same time, Politico quoted an unnamed EU official describing Ukraine's "endemic corruption" as "revolting" and warning it "won't help" the country's reputation. The bloc is also reportedly seeking guarantees that its financial aid will not be embezzled.

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(RT.com)