Backlash grows as Zelensky 'retreats' after mass protests over bill & Trump approves $322 million package including HAWK and Bradleys

Day 1,247. Today, as Zelensky seeks to make concessions to those protesting a bill many argue threatens the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies, we assess the significance of Trump’s new $332 million military package, then resume our two-part dispatch from Moldova, sometimes described as a frontline in Cold War II. Contributors: Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X. Jimmy Rushton (Kyiv-based Foreign Policy/Security Analyst). @JimmySecUK on X. Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X. With thanks to Andrei Curararu of Watchdog MD. Content Referenced: VIDEO DISPATCH: 'Moldova is worse than Ukraine': My clash with Russian sympathisers on the frontline of Cold War Two (Francis Dearnley for The Telegraph): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZC5FvDt-u0   Zelensky backtracks on corruption reform in attempt to end protests (Jimmy Rushton in The Telegraph): https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/23/ukraine-intelligence-chief-zelensky-tear-country-apart/  Exclusive: Chinese engines, shipped as 'cooling units', power Russian drones used in Ukraine (Reuters): https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/chinese-engines-shipped-cooling-units-power-russian-drones-used-ukraine-2025-07-23/  ‘A fatal mistake’ — Ukrainian soldiers slam Zelensky’s anti-corruption crackdown (Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/a-fatal-mistake-ukrainian-soldiers-slam-zelenskys-anti-corruption-crackdown/ SIGN UP TO THE NEW ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: https://secure.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/ukraine/   Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers. NOW AVAILABLE IN NEW LANGUAGES: The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.