Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accepted the resignation of Andriy Yermak, his top aide and lead negotiator in talks on a US-led push to end the war with Russia, after anti-corruption investigators searched the adviser’s residence in Kyiv.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov predicted that the furore around Mr Yermak would be “extremely negative” for Ukraine, as Kyiv and Moscow prepared to welcome US officials next week for talks on peace proposals.
“Russia really wants Ukraine to make mistakes. There will be no mistakes on our part. Our work continues. Our struggle continues ... If we lose unity, we risk losing everything: ourselves, Ukraine, our future. We must pull together,” Mr Zelenskiy said on Friday evening.
“I am grateful to Andriy for always presenting the Ukrainian position in the negotiation track exactly as it should be. It has always been a patriotic position. But I want there to be no rumours and speculation,” he added, announcing that there would now be a “reboot” of his administration.
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Ukraine’s two top anti-graft agencies, known by the acronyms Nabu and Sapo, confirmed that their detectives were searching premises connected to Mr Yermak, but did not reveal the reason for the search or whether he could face allegations.
“There are no obstacles for the investigators,” Mr Yermak wrote on social media. “They were provided with full access to the apartment, my lawyers are there, co-operating with law enforcement officers. From my side there is full co-operation.”
It is not clear if the search is linked to operation “Midas”, which Nabu and Sapo say uncovered a $100 million (€86 million) kickback scheme centred on state nuclear power firm Energoatom. Two ministers recently resigned over their alleged involvement in the affair – which they deny – and a businessman who worked with Mr Zelenskiy and Mr Yermak before they entered politics has been put on Ukraine’s wanted list.
Mr Zelenskiy has said all graft must be punished, but he tarnished his anti-corruption credentials in July by briefly curtailing the independence of Nabu and Sapo, before restoring it with an embarrassing U-turn under pressure from the European Union and the first street protests to be held in Ukraine since Russia’s full invasion in 2022.
Opposition party European Solidarity, led by former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, said Friday’s searches showed that “the adventurous plan to save [Mr Yermak] through his irresponsible appointment as head of the Ukrainian negotiating team did not work, although it did damage Ukraine’s international reputation.”
The party called for his dismissal and warned of a “direct threat” to Ukraine’s national security: “This story greatly weakens Ukraine at a time when the situation at the front is deteriorating and when unacceptable peace conditions are being imposed on us.”
Ukrainian media quoted EU sources as saying the search of Mr Yermak’s apartment showed that anti-corruption agencies were working in Ukraine and that the country took seriously its commitment to fight graft as part of its bid to join the bloc.
Mr Zelenskiy began his evening address on Friday by claiming that western leaders were “delighted with how Ukraine is holding up under the current pressure”.
“Now we are preparing for a meeting with the American side – about the steps that are needed so that peace really exists. And so that it is a worthy peace. And when all attention is focused on diplomacy, on defence in war, internal strength is needed,” he added.
The exact timing of the next round of talks on US peace proposals is not clear, but White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow and US army secretary Dan Driscoll is reportedly scheduled to visit Kyiv.
