On the diplomatic front, Ukrainian negotiators are expected in the United States this weekend for discussions on the American plan to end the war. Andriy Yermak was originally scheduled to participate in this meeting.
His dismissal, which risks destabilizing the presidency, comes at a very difficult time for Ukraine, as its soldiers are struggling on the front and it is negotiating with the United States on a plan to end four years of war with Russia.
Russian drones again struck the capital and its region on Friday night, killing at least one person and injuring eleven others, as well as causing significant material damage, according to authorities.
#Russia
— Journalist_cuneyt (@Journalistcnyt) November 29, 2025
Kiev'de saldırı sonrası Nova Poshta'nın kargo bölümü yanıyor.. pic.twitter.com/7zgiKFBqKZ
Aged 54, Andriy Yermak headed the Ukrainian delegation to talks with the United States and was one of the most important members of President Zelensky's team. His dismissal comes two weeks after the revelation of a major corruption scandal in the energy sector.
The head of the cabinet, Andriy Yermak, has submitted his resignation, announced Mr. Zelensky on social media, thanking him for having always represented Ukraine's position.
He then issued a decree validating the departure of Andriy Yermak, who had been appointed president in 2020.Volodymyr Zelensky specified that he would speak on Saturday with those likely to replace him.
The president called on Ukrainians not to lose their unity, as many voices have been questioning for four years the growing influence of Mr. Yermak over the president, and his control over access to Mr. Zelensky.
In the morning, the Ukrainian anti-corruption agency (NABU) and the prosecutor's office specializing in these cases (SAP) had conducted searches at the home of Andriy Yermak.
According to opposition MPs, these searches are linked to one of the worst corruption scandals of the Zelensky presidency, which in early November led to the dismissal of two ministers and several arrests.
NABU then uncovered a criminal system, orchestrated according to investigators by someone close to the president, which made it possible to embezzle around 86 million euros in the energy sector.
Volodymyr Zelensky had introduced sanctions against the alleged organizer, Timur Mindich, his former business associate and considered a close friend.
According to an opposition MP, Andriy Yermak is mentioned in recordings of conversations between the suspects as ordering pressure on anti-corruption structures.
He would appear there under the pseudonym Ali Baba, which takes the first letters of his first name and his surname, Andriï Borysovytch.
A former film producer and intellectual property lawyer, Mr. Iermak had worked with President Zelensky when the latter was an actor.
He was considered the second most influential man in the country, after Volodymyr Zelensky. Since the start of the Russian invasion almost four years ago, he has led several negotiation sessions with the Americans in Washington, and again last weekend in Geneva.
Russia is eager for Ukraine to make mistakes. We won’t make anything. Our work goes on. Our struggle goes on. We have no right to fall short, no right to retreat or turn on one another. If we lose our unity, we risk losing everything – ourselves, Ukraine, and our future. We must stand…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 28, 2025
This situation weakens Ukraine’s position in the negotiations and Russia will undoubtedly exploitthis scandal, Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fessenko told AFP.
Zelensky under hypnosis
The influence of Andriy Yermak on Volodymyr Zelensky has been a hotly discussed topic in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, prompting interrogations even within the presidential team.
Critics accuse the chief of staff of concentrating too much power, de facto taking the lead in the country’s foreign policy and controlling access to the president.
His influence on Volodymyr Zelensky is like hypnosis, a high-ranking source within the presidential party sarcastically told AFP in November.
Andriy Yermak has excluded the Foreign Ministry from negotiations with Washington, according to this source.
Yermak does not allow anyone to approach Zelensky except loyal people and seeks to influence almost all decisions of the presidency, added a former senior official who worked with the head of state to AFP.
Sometimes nicknamed vice-president, Mr. Yermak accompanied Mr. Zelensky to almost all official events.
