Hours after investigators from the anti-corruption authority raided his home, Andrei Yermak announced the end of his post – in the midst of the Trump administration’s feverish efforts to promote an agreement to end the war • Yermak was the most powerful political figure in the country after Zelensky, and his influence touched on internal politics, military issues and foreign policy
Published:
The chief of staff of Ukrainian President Zelensky, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Friday, a few hours after investigators from the anti-corruption authority raided his home.
Why this is important:
- This is a political earthquake in a country torn by war, and comes in the midst of feverish diplomatic efforts by the Trump administration to promote a peace agreement to end the war.
- Yermak was the most powerful political figure in Ukraine after Zelensky, and his influence touched internal politics, military issues and foreign policy.
- “This is the perfect storm. There is now a lot of uncertainty,” said a senior Ukrainian official.
- Two senior Ukrainian officials said Yermak’s resignation came a day before he was scheduled to fly to Miami for talks with President Trump’s team on the peace plan.
In the news center:
- Yermak has been at the center of political turmoil in the country in recent weeks following a major corruption scandal affecting Zelenskiy’s government.
- Members of the opposition demanded Yermak’s resignation, although his name did not appear officially as a suspect in the case. Zelensky backed Yermak for several weeks and rejected calls for Petro’s resignation.
- A senior American official said last week that the affair could weaken Ukraine’s negotiating position with Russia.
- In an interview with n12 on Tuesday, Yermak passionately defended Zelenskiy’s record in the fight against corruption, saying it was important that the investigations continue but not “become politicized.” He said he was focused on efforts to end the war.
What he says:
- Zelensky announced Yermak’s resignation and indicated that he would change the structure of the president’s office and appoint a new head of office in the coming days.
- “Russia very much wants Ukraine to make mistakes. There will be no mistakes on our part. We don’t have the right to let go, we don’t have the right to retreat or fight among ourselves. If we lose unity, we risk losing everything,” said Zelensky in a video he published after Yermak’s resignation.
Why pay attention:
- Yermak headed the Ukrainian negotiating team for a peace agreement with Russia. Last weekend he led the Ukrainian delegation to talks with the American delegation led by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio in Geneva.
- The talks led to changes in Trump’s 28-point peace plan, creating a new 19-point plan that Ukrainians felt better reflected their interests.
- Senior Ukrainian officials said Shirmak was scheduled to arrive in Miami this weekend along with some of Zelensky’s advisers, and hold talks with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
- The goal, according to Ukrainian officials, was to finalize the understandings between the US and Ukraine before Witkoff and Kushner flew to Moscow for a meeting with President Putin.
- A senior Ukrainian official said that Yermak’s resignation would complicate the negotiation process, but would not lead to a change in Ukraine’s positions on ending the war, which were defined by Zelensky himself.