One of President Volodymyr Zelensky's closest aides left office on Friday, hours after Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies raided his home.

Andriy Yermak, the president's chief of staff, was often considered the second most influential man in Ukraine. He led the Ukrainian delegation in the recent Geneva talks with the United States.

Zelensky's announcement of Yermak's resignation on Friday complicates Kiev's position in important peace negotiations with the US.

"I want no one to have questions about Ukraine today. Therefore, today we have the following internal decisions. First of all, there will be a restart of the Office of the President of Ukraine. The head of the office, Andriy Yermak, has written a letter of resignation," Zelensky said in his daily televised address.

Yermak did not immediately make a public statement. But he confirmed earlier Friday that the search was underway, saying on Telegram that he was"fully cooperating" with authorities.

"The investigation is not encountering any obstacles. They have been granted full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are on the scene, interacting with the authorities," he said.

Both of Ukraine's main anti-corruption agencies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), participated in the searches, according to a statement issued on Friday.

The exact reason for the searches was not disclosed, but they come just two weeks after the two agencies announced an investigation into an alleged bribery scheme linked to the country's critical energy infrastructure.

The scandal has already led to the resignation of two of Zelensky's ministers and implicated a former business associate from his time in the entertainment industry.

It is unclear who will take Yermak's place in the next rounds of negotiations, expected in the coming days.

Announcing his resignation, Zelensky said that the delegation would include the Chief of the General Staff, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, and our intelligence services.