Zelenskyy faces mini-revolution' as Yermak's fall reshapes Ukraine's wartime power system

"Yermak's resignation could have tremendous consequences for domestic governance, as well as for Ukraine's negotiating position in talks over ending the war with Russia, where he had served as the head of Ukraine's delegation to peace talks with the White House. It's a mini revolution in the political system and the governance system, said Kyiv-based political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko. Yermak was the key element in the system of power that Zelensky had built."

"Yermak, a former intellectual property lawyer, became a B-movie producer and then lawyer for Zelenskyy's production company, back when Zelenskyy was still an actor. When his friend won victory in the 2019 presidential election, Yermak went with him into politics, first as a foreign policy adviser and then a year later as chief of staff. Yermak appeared to become untouchable as he got ever closer to the president during the years of full-scale war."

"He ran the most sensitive tracks of Ukraine's foreign policy, speaking regularly with national security advisers from allied countries and was in charge of the team working on peace negotiations. He was also Zelenskyy's chief political fixer, often giving orders to ministers, and was widely seen as the personification of the president's will. It was Yermak who travelled to London to meet former army commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi, widely seen as the most threatening political challenger to Zelenskyy, and pitched Zaluzhnyi to join Zelenskyy's team."

Andriy Yermak resigned after his apartment was searched in a widening anti-corruption probe, removing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's closest adviser and chief enforcer. His exit threatens domestic governance and weakens Ukraine's negotiating position in peace talks with Russia, where he led the delegation. Yermak rose from intellectual property lawyer and B-movie producer to Zelenskyy's lawyer, foreign policy adviser and then chief of staff after the 2019 election. During full-scale war he exercised extensive control over sensitive foreign policy tracks, coordinated with allied national security advisers, led peace negotiation teams, issued directives to ministers, and personified the president's will, drawing both dislike and grudging admiration.

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