Zelensky Removes His Chief Ally — A Blow or a Strategic Reset?

According to Rokna, citing The Guardian, since before Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Andriy Yermak was almost constantly at Volodymyr Zelensky’s side — greeting foreign leaders in Kyiv or joining the Ukrainian president on vital trips abroad to secure military and diplomatic backing. His resignation now stands to become the most significant political challenge Zelensky has faced in more than six years in office.

Although the move may be welcomed by many Ukrainians, it injects a measure of instability into the administration at a moment of critical international negotiations. Yermak, previously the influential head of the presidential office, stepped down on Friday after anti-corruption investigators searched his home — the latest and most prominent figure to be caught up in a widening scandal over alleged energy-sector kickbacks.

The fallout comes as Kyiv faces escalating pressure from Washington to accept a peace deal widely viewed as advantageous to Moscow. Only days earlier, Yermak had been in Geneva leading the Ukrainian delegation in talks with a US team headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the latest proposal from the White House.

Announcing the dismissal, Zelensky thanked Yermak for consistently defending Ukraine’s position in negotiations. “It has always been a patriotic position,” the president said.

Within Ukraine, Yermak’s downfall is likely to be widely approved. He had become one of the most disliked figures in Kyiv politics, absorbing much of the frustration over Zelensky’s perceived missteps, journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk told CNN. A string of corruption controversies, a very public clash with the popular former army chief, and the troubled rollout of new mobilisation rules all contributed to damage surrounding the president’s image. Yet Zelensky’s approval levels, although far below their wartime peak, have remained relatively stable.

Olga Rudenko of the Kyiv Independent argued that Yermak’s removal reflects the strength of Ukraine’s democratic institutions. “Consider this: in a young democracy at war, independent bodies are strong enough to investigate the most powerful man in the country,” she wrote on X.

A key question now is whether this episode increases domestic criticism of Zelensky himself or helps him regain political ground. Gumenyuk suggested Ukrainians would accept Zelensky’s framing of the exit as a needed reset. Members of his own party — some of whom had threatened to defect if Yermak kept his post — released a statement praising the president for prioritising national interests.

Still, a former government official told CNN that the decision may have come too late for some voters, many of whom will now question what Zelensky knew about Yermak’s activities. The official pointed out that both Yermak and another figure involved in the scandal, Timur Mindich, were long-time associates of Zelensky. “Do you really think the president didn’t know?” the official said.

Yermak’s enormous influence as an unelected head of the Presidential Office contributed to his unpopularity. He was often described as a “shadow prime minister,” effectively determining who entered Zelensky’s government, according to Orysia Lutsevych of Chatham House. Yet he was also known for unwavering loyalty, serving as a problem-solver and chief negotiator for the president. Zelensky once said: “I respect him for his results. He does what I ask him.”

Finding a replacement with the same combination of trust, authority and negotiation skills will be difficult, especially as Ukraine faces shifting battlefield realities and global diplomatic uncertainty. Yermak had been scheduled to travel to the US this weekend to lead another round of talks with the Trump administration; it is unclear who will now take over.

Although he remained a central figure in Kyiv’s diplomacy, his reputation abroad had diminished, especially in the US, where any hint of financial misconduct has long undermined support for Ukraine in Congress. A European diplomat in Kyiv told CNN that Zelensky “had little choice but to remove Yermak given the damaging global headlines.”

The greater concern may be how this turmoil is perceived internationally. Russia has seized on the moment, attempting to portray Zelensky’s leadership as unstable. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed growing political uncertainty made Ukraine’s future difficult to predict.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, one of Kyiv’s key allies, offered a somber assessment, noting that Yermak’s dismissal coincided with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visit to Moscow and ongoing “chaos in negotiations” with the United States.