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The claims in the viral video suggesting that Bill Gates called Ukraine a "big, fat, corrupt sinkhole" are misleading and taken out of context. The video clip circulating online omits crucial context from Gates' original statement, which was made during a discussion at the Lowy Institute in January 2023. Gates was referring to the "pre-war" Ukrainian government, describing it as "one of the worst in the world—corrupt, controlled by a few rich people," but he did not specify whether "pre-war" referred to before the 2022 full-scale invasion or the 2014 annexation of Crimea Newsweek, Newschecker. Since the Russian invasion, Ukraine has made significant strides in combating corruption, with President Zelensky's administration implementing reforms and anti-corruption measures, which have been recognized by international bodies like the EU and Transparency International. Ukraine's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index has improved, and efforts continue to align with Western standards as part of its EU accession process Wilson Center, BBC. These developments highlight the ongoing commitment to addressing corruption, contrasting with the outdated portrayal in the viral clip.