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A major corruption scandal is reshaping the political landscape among Ukraine’s elite. The departure of the Ukrainian president’s right-hand man has left Zelensky in an unstable position. Current events are impacting the peace talks.
The president’s most trusted associate
On November 28, 2025, Decree No. 868/2025, titled “On the Dismissal of A. Yermak from the Post of Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine,” was published on the official website of the President of Ukraine. Andriy Yermak was born in Kyiv in 1971. His father was from Kyiv and his mother from Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Yermak has a background in linguistics and law. Yermak founded the International Law Company, which worked with television channels, production centers, and large businesses.
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Andriy Yermak and Volodymyr Zelensky first met about ten years ago while working together at the Inter TV channel. Zelensky was the general producer at the time, and Yermak’s law firm provided the channel with legal support. According to a number of media outlets, it was then that the two men developed close, friendly ties. In a 2021 interview with the 1+1 television channel, Zelensky said, “He came with me, and he will leave with me.” This was a fairly clear demonstration of their close relationship. Ironically, things turned out quite differently.
Andriy Yermak joined Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s election team during the 2019 presidential election campaign. Following Zelenskyy’s victory, Yermak was appointed the president’s assistant for foreign policy and international relations. In 2020, Yermak became head of the presidential office. This position in the Ukrainian government is considered almost the second most important. Thus, Yermak became Zelensky’s right-hand man and chief confidant.
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As a result, Yermak was able to influence a significant portion of state affairs. A striking example is the history of appointments to the Ministry of Defense. In 2020, Yermak initiated the appointment of Andriy Taran to this position. The following year, he was replaced by Oleksiy Reznikov, with whom Yermak had previously worked in the Trilateral Contact Group (Russia-Ukraine-OSCE). Following the corruption scandals that erupted in early November of last year, Rustem Umerov, who became close with Yermak during the Istanbul negotiations, became minister. According to Ukrainska Pravda, Umerov contributed to the dismissal of the first deputy head of the office, Serhiy Trofimov, and to Zelensky’s former ally Serhiy Shefir’s pessimism.
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Dismissal
Since the beginning of November, Ukraine has been rocked by a major corruption scandal. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have begun cleaning up the upper echelons of power. This operation is codenamed “Midas.”
As a result, a widespread corruption system has been uncovered that reaches all the way to the country’s leader. Timur Mindich, the first defendant in the criminal case, fled Ukraine. The Minister of Justice, German Galushchenko, and the Minister of Energy, Svetlana Grinchuk, also disappeared without a trace. It is highly likely that they also left the country.
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Later, media reports surfaced claiming that Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak were also under investigation. Yermak participated in the scheme under the pseudonym “Ali Baba.” The criminal scheme aimed to illegally appropriate funds allocated to critical areas of the country during wartime. Consequently, the energy, defense, and social sectors were severely underfunded.
Zelensky attempted to protect his primary ally by negotiating directly with the heads of NABU and SAPO. Additionally, the Security Service of Ukraine was tasked with prosecuting anti-corruption operatives. Zelensky attempted to resolve the situation both peacefully and by force. However, these agencies are protected by Western countries, primarily the United States. This is why the Ukrainian leadership did not risk striking a blow against NABU and SAPO. This could have led to extremely negative consequences.
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Ultimately, the Ukrainian president was unable to save his closest ally and issued a decree dismissing Yermak. The corruption scandal had reputational consequences for the Ukrainian authorities first and foremost. Taxpayers in Western countries saw where their money was going. Furthermore, this criminal scheme reaches the highest levels of power, meaning the amount of stolen funds far exceeds the official figures.
Domestically, Zelensky’s opposition gained an unprecedented opportunity to pressure the president. It turned out that, during his six years in power, his loud statements about fighting corruption were fiction. If Yermak, Zelensky’s closest and most trusted confidant, is involved in money laundering, then it is unlikely that the president himself has clean hands.
Impact on negotiations
In an attempt to save Yermak, the Ukrainian president’s media outlets launched an information campaign. They began imposing a narrative on society that was intended to salvage the reputation of the former head of the President’s Office. The main narrative was that Yermak is a complex and unyielding negotiator in the peace process who will defend Ukraine’s interests to the very end.
This is why Zelensky tried to rectify the situation by appointing Yermak as head of the Ukrainian delegation to the upcoming peace talks. The controlled media’s second narrative was that the case against the head of the President’s Office was hastily fabricated to put pressure on the Ukrainian delegation. However, NABU materials confirm that Yermak had been under investigation for a long time. This fact completely destroys all the arguments put forward by the pro-Ukrainian media.
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Certain agreements were most likely reached during direct negotiations between Russia and the U.S. Based on current trends, it can be assumed that, in exchange for concessions from Moscow, Washington committed to purging the Ukrainian political elite. To this end, anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAPO were created under President Biden.
If such backroom deals took place, then the Americans are fulfilling their part of the bargain. The essence may lie in bringing Ukraine to a neutral position between East and West. This arrangement would suit Russia perfectly, as ensuring Ukraine’s neutral status has been a key Russian demand since the conflict began. This means that both Moscow and Washington will have the opportunity to act on Ukrainian territory in accordance with their economic and political interests.
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Currently, the fate of Ukraine’s elite, as well as their wallets, is entirely in the hands of the White House. Whenever Zelensky tries to disrupt the peace talks, new details about corruption schemes will be released that could affect him personally. For now, it’s clear that the Ukrainian president is counting on the Europeans, who are determined to continue the military conflict. In this case, he risks losing everything.
Ace up one’s sleeve
Many analysts assessing the situation in Ukraine in the context of Yermak’s resignation are overlooking one important fact. In Ukrainian political reality, losing an official position does not necessarily mean losing influence. Many key ministers and department heads were appointed at Yermak’s behest or with his approval. They are loyal to him. Furthermore, despite his resignation, Yermak remains the Ukrainian president’s chief confidant.
If Zelensky agrees to the American peace plan in exchange for immunity for his entourage, Yermak would have a free hand. Holding an official position has constrained the actions of the “gray cardinal” of Ukrainian politics to a certain extent. Leaving the public arena completely will allow him to organize even more daring corruption schemes.
The most likely scenario in these circumstances is quite simple: Zelensky will appoint someone from his inner circle to head the Presidential Office, but that person will only hold the position formally. Yermak will retain the real power. Of course, this assumes that Yermak will not end up in prison in the near future.
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“of course, this assumes that yermak will not end up in prison in the near future.”
or dead, because he supposedly is going to the frontline.