The departure of Andriy Yermak from the post of the all-powerful head of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Office is a tectonic shift for Ukraine that opens the way to a fierce struggle over how the country will be governed. Politico writes.
Nicknamed the "green cardinal," Yermak earned the moniker for wearing military-style clothing popularized by his boss. Once a little-known lawyer and producer of second-rate films, he gained enormous influence as Zelensky’s chief aide, and many considered him effectively a co-president.
Opposition gains strength
Opposition politicians will use his dismissal over a $100 million corruption scandal to intensify calls for the creation of a national unity government in Kyiv. They have been urging this since the full-scale Russian invasion nearly four years ago, and Yermak’s exit will embolden those factions.
There is no doubt that Zelensky will miss the steadfast former lawyer. Many Ukrainian commentators had characterized Yermak as the producer in the ruling duo, with the former TV comic-turned-president playing the leading role.
Now Zelensky will be without his producer as he prepares for tense talks with the United States over President Donald Trump’s controversial "peace plan" to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, as winter approaches and Kremlin forces try to deepen their advantage on the bleak battlefields of the Donbas.
Criticism of centralization of power
At the same time, few will mourn Yermak. His monopolization of power provoked growing criticism and frustration both inside Ukraine and among Western allies.
Predictably, Ukrainian opposition politicians and former officials who clashed with Yermak welcomed the news of his resignation, expressing hope that it will mark a serious change in how Zelensky governs and a move away from his tightly controlled management style.
"I never believed it would ever be possible that he would go."
– said one former Ukrainian senior official, who asked not to be named so as "not to appear as if dancing on Yermak's grave."
Yermak’s critics also pointed to Zelensky’s attempts this summer to curb the independence of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies — a move that initially heightened fears that the government was increasing control over institutions designed to check presidential power.
For opposition lawmaker Lesia Vasylenko, Yermak’s departure "shows that there is zero tolerance for corruption, and the president is listening to the people's concerns." Others called his resignation a breath of fresh air.
Questions about future governance
However, some opposition MPs questioned whether Zelensky will seize the moment for more inclusive politics.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze told Politico she remained uncertain whether the drama would change the way Zelensky governs.
"That is the question. The manner of governance must return to the constitution. Parliament must reclaim its powers. That means the president must agree to talk to all factions, we must reassess relations in parliament and form a genuine national unity government that will be accountable to parliament, not to the presidential office."
– she added.
Yulia Mendel, a Ukrainian journalist and former adviser to Zelensky who has become a critic, told Politico that Yermak’s resignation was "a desperate reaction to unbearable pressure."
"Zelensky has no real replacement because he never thought it would come to this. But the pressure became so intense that it came down to the simplest choice: him or Yermak. And Zelensky chose himself."
– she added.
However, Mendel expressed doubts that anything will truly change.
"Yermak may simply remain a shadow puppet-master."
– she warned.
