Ukraine’s president Zelensky makes Income public, calls for transparency in government

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy made public his income over two years on Sunday, January 28 as part of a drive to promote transparency and end endemic corruption.

In a post on the presidential website, Zelenskiy noted that his income had declined in 2021 and further in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February.

It was the first time Zelensky who his rivals have accused of being corrupt, publicly declared his income.

In 2021, the year before the invasion, Zelenskiy and his family reported an income of 10.8 million hryvnias ($286,168), down 12 million hryvnias from the previous year. The 2021 figure included income from the sale of $142,000 of government bonds.

In 2022, the Zelenskiy family’s income fell further to 3.7 million hryvnias as he earned less rental income from real estate he owned because of the outbreak of the war.

Zelenskiy has called for public officials to disclose their incomes as part of efforts to increase transparency and eliminate corruption as Ukraine tries to meet the stringent requirements for its bid to join the European Union.

Western allies providing weaponry and financial assistance as well as international bodies like the International Monetary Fund have also sought assurances on efforts to eliminate corruption in Ukraine.

The website statement reads in part;

Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to own several trademarks. In particular, in 2021, the process of registering 22 trademarks, which began long before his election as President of Ukraine, was completed.

According to the 2022 declaration, the income of the President and his family members amounted to UAH 3 million 692 thousand 683.

The income of the President’s family in 2022 decreased due to the temporary termination of lease agreements on the territory of Ukraine as a result of the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggression against our country.

The cash balance of the President’s family at the end of 2022 decreased by almost UAH 1 million 800 thousand.

There were no other changes in 2021 and 2022 regarding assets, real estate, vehicles, etc.