Resignation

President Zelensky’s chief of staff resigned amid a major corruption scandal that has rocked Ukraine.

Context

Andriy Yermak has served as Zelensky’s chief of staff since 2020 and has been his closest advisor throughout the war with Russia. Yermak was leading Ukraine’s negotiating team in talks with the Trump Administration.

For weeks, a $100M embezzlement and corruption scandal has been unfolding in Ukraine that involves alleged kickbacks from state companies to government insiders. The scandal has already led to the resignation of two cabinet ministers and threatened Zelensky’s entire cabinet.

Yermak Resigns

Yermak stepped down on Friday after anti-corruption authorities searched his home in Kyiv as part of a wider corruption investigation that has rocked Ukraine, though he has not been officially accused of any wrongdoing.