Zelensky's chief of staff resigns amid corruption probe

"Yermak was the most powerful political figure in Ukraine after Zelensky, with influence over domestic politics, military issues and foreign policy. "This is the perfect storm. There is a lot of uncertainty right now," a Ukrainian official said. Two Ukrainian officials said Yermak's resignation came a day before he was supposed to travel to Miami for talks with president Trump's team about the peace plan."

"Driving the news: Yermak has been at the center of a major corruption scandal that hit the Zelensky administration with allegations of embezzlement from the energy sector. Members of the opposition demanded Yermak's resignation, though he has not been named in the accusations. Zelensky backed Yermak for several weeks and rejected calls to fire him. A U.S. official told Axios last week that the scandal could weaken Ukraine's negotiating position with Russia."

"What he's saying: Zelensky announced the resignation and said he will reshuffle the president's office and appoint a new chief of staff in the coming days. "Russia really wants Ukraine to make mistakes. There will be no mistakes on our side," Zelensky said in a video he released after Yermak's resignation. "We do not have the right to ease the pressure. We do not have the right to retreat or to quarrel among ourselves. If we lose our unity, we risk losing everything.""

Yermak was the most powerful political figure in Ukraine after Zelensky. He resigned amid a corruption scandal alleging embezzlement from the energy sector that struck the administration. Opposition members demanded his resignation though he has not been named in the accusations. Zelensky backed Yermak for weeks but announced a reshuffle of the president's office and plans to appoint a new chief of staff. Yermak led negotiations on a peace deal with Russia, including Geneva talks with a U.S. delegation that helped reshape a 28-point plan into a 19-point plan. U.S. officials warned the scandal could weaken Ukraine's negotiating position; Yermak urged investigations continue without politicization and said his focus remains ending the war.

Read at Axios