Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak resigns after anti-corruption raid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned following an anti-corruption raid on his home.

Yermak, 54, has been Zelensky’s closest adviser during the full-scale war in Russia, but has come under increasing pressure over a widening scandal, even though he has not been charged with a crime.

Zelensky recently named his chief of staff to lead crucial negotiations, while US President Donald Trump led a new campaign to end the war with Russia.

In a tough address to the nation outside his presidential office, Zelensky called for unity and warned: “We risk losing everything: ourselves, Ukraine, our future.”

The corruption scandal has rocked Ukraine for weeks, weakening Zelensky’s own position and jeopardizing the country’s negotiating position with the United States at a delicate time.

Ukraine’s two anti-corruption agencies raided Yermak’s apartment in kyiv’s government headquarters early Friday, with the chief of staff saying on social media that “there is full cooperation on my side.”

“I am grateful to Andriy that Ukraine’s position on the negotiating track was always presented as it was necessary: ​​it was always a patriotic position,” the Ukrainian president said during his video speech in kyiv on Friday.

Zelensky said he would begin consultations on Saturday on who would replace Yermak as his top adviser: “When all the attention is focused on diplomacy and defense in a war, inner strength is required.”

“Russia wants Ukraine to make mistakes, there will be no mistakes on our part. Our work continues, our fight continues. We have no right… to withdraw, to fight [among ourselves]”.

Yermak’s departure from Ukraine’s ruling circle will be a blow to Zelensky, as US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is due to arrive in kyiv later this week as part of Trump’s draft peace plan. American officials will head to Moscow next week.

Even hours before the raid on his apartment, Yermak stressed the important influence he had on Ukraine’s leadership, conveying his government’s position in the face of pressure from the United States to make territorial concessions to Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“As long as Zelensky is president, no one should count on us giving up territory. He won’t give up territory,” Yermak told The Atlantic website.

Russia has demanded that Ukraine hand over territory it still controls in the eastern Donetsk region, including several strategically important cities.

“If they do not withdraw, we will achieve it by force of arms,” ​​Putin said Thursday.

Yermak admitted during his interview that he was under “enormous” pressure to resign, adding that “the case is quite noisy and there needs to be an objective and independent investigation without political influence.”

Investigators have linked several prominent figures to an alleged $100m (£75m) embezzlement scandal in the energy sector.

Ukraine’s anti-corruption office Nabu and the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor’s office (Sap) said they had uncovered a vast scheme to accept bribes and influence state-owned companies, including state nuclear energy company Enerhoatom.

Russian officials involved in drafting Trump’s peace plan have spoken out about corruption allegations, alarming European Union allies. Ukraine is a candidate to join the EU and a report earlier this month highlighted doubts over “commitment to its anti-corruption agenda”.

Zelensky has already fired two ministers and several suspects have been detained in the scandal. One of the president’s former business partners, Timur Mindich, fled the country.

Mindich was co-owner of the Kvartal 95 television studio, where Zelensky’s acting career took off before he was elected president.