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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n Opponents of a new law they say strips Ukraine\u2019s anti-corruption watchdogs of their independence called for a third straight day of street protests across the country Thursday, despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy\u2019s attempts to defuse the tension with promises of legislative safeguards.<\/p>\n After meeting with the heads of Ukraine\u2019s key anti-corruption and security agencies, Zelenskyy promised to act on their recommendations by presenting a bill to Parliament<\/a> that strengthens the rule of law.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd very importantly: all the norms for the independence of anti-corruption institutions will be in place,\u201d Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address late Wednesday.<\/p>\n Zelenskyy acknowledged the controversy triggered by the new corruption law, which also drew rebukes from European Union<\/a> officials and international rights groups.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not falling on deaf ears,\u201d Zelenskyy said of the complaints. \u201cWe\u2019ve analyzed all the concerns, all the aspects of what needs to be changed and what needs to be stepped up.\u201d<\/p>\n However, he didn\u2019t promise to revoke the law that he approved. <\/p>\n The legislation that was adopted this week, despite pleas for Zelenskyy to veto it, tightened government oversight of two key anti-corruption agencies. Critics said the step could significantly weaken the independence of those agencies and give Zelenskyy\u2019s circle greater influence over investigations.<\/p>\n The protests haven\u2019t called for Zelenskyy\u2019s ouster. But the first major anti-government demonstrations since the war began come at a tough time for Ukraine in its three-year battle to thwart Russia\u2019s invasion.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s bigger army is accelerating its efforts to pierce Ukraine\u2019s front-line defenses and is escalating its bombardment of Ukrainian cities. Ukraine is also facing a question mark over whether the United States will provide more military aid and whether European commitments can take up the slack, with no end to the war in sight.<\/p>\n