LOS ANGELES.–Firing his long-time Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak for a corruption scandal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked foreign leaders to believe he knew nothing about it, despite Yermak’s close ties to the Ukrainian president. Yermak was accused by Ukraine’s anti-corruption commission of taking kickbacks Of 10%-15% of nuclear energy deals, Ukraine’s biggest source of energy despite widespread blackouts due to its war with Russia. Yermak was quoted days ago saying that Zelensky would never agree to a peace deal that surrendered Ukrainian sovereign territory to the Kremlin. “There should be no reason to be distracted by anything other than the defense of Ukraine,” Yermak said, while Ukrainian authorities searched his apartments with his lawyers present. Zelensky accepted Yermak’s resignation, hoping to convince the U.S. and EU that he took corruption seriously.
No one really knows how much or when Zelensky knew his Chief of Staff was snared in a corruption scandal, knowing the demands Ukraine has made to the U.S and EU for more cash and weapons to fund the Ukraine War. Yermak was a hard-line as you can get in not negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin when it came to Ukrainian land. Yermak knows that Putin controls some 25% of Ukraine sovereign territory after nearly four years of war. So, when it comes to negotiating for peace, Yermak was no help at all, especially to President Donald Trump many overtures for peace. Trump’s latest proposal had Ukraine surrendering Donesk and Luhansk to the Kremlin in exchange for peace. Yermak, only days ago, was adamant that Zelensky would never trade land-for-pace. But Ukraine can’t continue the war without U.S. and EU cash-and-arms.
Zelensky was told recently by the EU that the prospect of using some $200 billion in frozen Russian assets currently held in Belgium’s central bank was dwindling. While French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer all back using Russian assets, Belgium Prime Minsiter Bert de Wever opposed the move in the strongest possible terms. De Wever said it would destroy all of Brussel’s credibility and open the Central Bank up to lawsuits. Zelensky knows everything that happens in his government and certainly knew about Yermak’s involvement in Energoatom, Ukraine’s nuclear power company. Zelensky seeks cover firing Yermak, hoping to avoid questions over his government’s continued corruption. Zelensky and Yermak were attached at the hip, what one did, the other finished his sentence.
Zelensky hopes to keep the cash flowing into Kiev’s coffers from the EU, despite knowing that there’s growing resistance to using frozen Russian assets. Brussels recognizes the fact that it doesn’t have enough cash to fund the Ukraine War without the Russian assets going forward. That’s where Trump’s peace plan comes into play where it becomes the only option left to Zelensky. Firing Yermak actually removes and obstacle who opposed Trump’s plan to cede Ukrainian territory to Russia. But Yermak has given Zelensky bad advice not to let Trump handle the negotiation to end the war. Every days that goes by, Ukraine loses more sovereign land and subjects its people to unthinkable destruction. Yermak had no plan to end the war only continue getting cash-and-arms from the EU to battle the Kremlin. Zelensky knows that the EU is tapped out of cash-and-arms.
Zelensky already had to fire two Cabinet ministers last month after the public got wind of the corruption scandal while the public deals with energy blackouts. Former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksy Chemyshov was charged by NABU, the anti-corruption agency, with absconding $1.2 billion and fleeing the country, after building himself luxury mansions. One of Zelensky’s closes friends from time when he was a TV actor Timur Mindrich, was accused of organizing the Energoatom corruption scandal. It’s inconceivable that Zelensky knew nothing about the scandal when his closest friends were involved in the corruption. Yet Zelensky operates like the victim just like he does in the Ukraine War. Zelensky has fought back seeking more lethal weapons to strike at Russia’s energy infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t consider Zelensky a legitimate president.
Trump and his inner circle know that Zelensky knew about the corruption scandal but couldn’t stop the scandal from hitting the headlines. Any corruption makes it more difficult to ask the U.S. and EU for cash-and-arms, leaving peace negotiations in limbo. Trump doesn’t want to hear how Zelensky wants the U.S. and EU to foot the bill for his war with the Kremlin. Trump told Zelensky on several occasions to cut his losses, end the war and get to business of rebuilding Ukraine. With corruption reeking in Kiev, it’s putting pressure on Zelensky to settle the conflict even if he has to give up land. Trump has grown tired of hearing Zelensky say all peace deals favors the Kremlin, when every effort has been made to keep the negotiation even handed. Firing Yermak is a big blow to Zelensky’s credibility, knowing he knew about the scandal.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
