Billions in US aid to Ukraine under microscope as corruption rocks Zelenskyy's inner circle

Zelenskyy dismissed Iryna Mudra, a deputy head of the presidential office, on Aug. 19 as anti-corruption investigators pursued a money-laundering case involving another deputy head of the office.

"A lot more work needs to be done. But we know, at least on the U.S. side, as we're providing support for their military, we have a lot of mechanisms," she said before explaining how dozens of agencies are working on oversight of U.S. aid to Ukraine.

That support is part of a broader U.S. response to the war.

"Over 24 federal agencies are involved in oversight," Filipetti said. "To make certain that there are no consequences to the U.S. taxpayer, to our equipment in terms of the corruption issue, U.S. contributions are very much protected."

"We've seen that Zelenskyy is taking really seriously the criticisms of corruption, and every time there is an allegation, he moves very swiftly to remove those individuals from the government," Filipetti said.

"And the fact that there are these independent bodies is, I think, really important. They're listening to them. They're making sure that they're trying to root it out as much as humanly possible."

Zelenskyy has pushed back on suggestions that the investigations implicate him personally.

"The heads of anti-corruption agencies have zero questions for me," Zelenskyy said in remarks published Aug. 23 regarding the investigations. "They understand perfectly well that I am not involved in anything like that."

"A lot of what the United States has been providing, we're making sure that everything is through a reimbursement mechanism," Filipetti said.

She said U.S. aid has not been tied to the money-laundering allegations and remains protected as Ukraine works to combat corruption.

Zelenskyy said he wants to secure 300 additional interceptors for the coming winter, while Ukraine's air force has requested 360.

"We want missiles too," Trump said Aug. 6 when asked about Zelenskyy's requests for long-range missiles and Patriot systems. "Biden gave him so much, Biden gave $300 billion worth of ammunition."

"I think every country has been really adamant that the Ukrainians move forward in their anti-corruption mechanisms," Filipetti said.

"Obviously, if Ukraine ever wants to be a formal member of NATO, that's something that they will need to prove and demonstrate."