KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s all-powerful chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, resigned Friday as a high-profile anti-corruption investigation widened.
The exit of Mr. Yermak, who has been Ukraine’s lead negotiator in this week’s ongoing ceasefire discussions with the U.S., comes after his residence was searched by investigators.
The search is tied to a broad graft investigation centering on illicit schemes within Ukraine’s energy sector. The scandal has already led to the resignation of two ministers and is widely seen as an existential threat to the Zelenskyy administration.
In a public address, Mr. Zelenskyy thanked Mr. Yermak for his work, particularly for representing Ukraine’s position in negotiations, framing the resignation as part of a “reboot” of the presidential office: a move meant to preserve unity and avoid distractions during a delicate moment for Ukraine, as it navigates international diplomacy and wartime pressures.
Mr. Yermak had served as head of the Office of the President since 2020 and had been widely regarded as Mr. Zelenskyy’s “right-hand man” and a key power broker deeply involved in both wartime strategy and foreign diplomacy.
Mr. Zelenskyy said Friday he will consult on a successor for Mr. Yermak “tomorrow.”
He also acknowledged the damaging timing of the scandal and the toll it’s taken on his administration as Ukraine tries to navigate the 3-year-old war with Russia and growing international pressure, especially from the U.S., to make a deal.
“We don’t have a right to retreat or argue between ourselves. If we lose unity, we risk losing everything, ourselves, Ukraine, our future,” Mr. Zelenskyy said. “We must unite, we must hold on. We have no other choice. We won’t have another Ukraine.”
The shake-up is expected to reverberate across the administration, as it attempts both to contain fallout from the corruption scandal and to maintain governmental cohesion at a moment when internal stability and international support remain crucial.
Mr. Yermak has been a lightning rod for controversy for years, but Mr. Zelenskyy resisted pressure to replace him.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.