President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff (L), at UN headquarters in New York City, U.S. on Sept. 23, 2025. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was hit with a large-scale corruption scandal and a controversial peace plan at the same time earlier this month, his position seemed desperate and vulnerable to many.
But in fact the foreign policy crisis helped Zelensky to sideline the domestic controversy.
He presented himself as a defender of Ukraine’s national interests while holding talks on a U.S. ultimatum that could force Ukraine to accept peace on Russia’s terms.
As a result, the foreign policy agenda overshadowed the biggest corruption scandal during Zelensky’s presidency, allowing him to get away so far with symbolic moves such as the dismissal of two ministers implicated in the graft scheme.
Zelensky’s controversial chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Rustem Umerov, another top official implicated in the corruption scandal, have faced calls to resign. But, taking advantage of the foreign policy crisis, Zelensky has not only refused to fire them but has also appointed them to lead in peace negotiations.
“(Trump’s peace plan) was a shock for everyone in Ukraine. It shifted the focus from the corruption scandal to a much more dangerous external threat,” political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told the Kyiv Independent.
“Paradoxically, this really did help Zelensky, but it didn’t completely save him.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky (C), joined by Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff (L), attends a briefing by Rustem Umerov, National Security and Defense Council Secretary (R) in Kyiv, Ukraine on Aug. 3, 2025. (Zelensky/Telegram)
Ukraine has experienced political turmoil since the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) charged eight suspects in a large-scale corruption case involving state nuclear power company Energoatom. Timur Mindich, a close associate of the president, is allegedly the ringleader.
In his Nov. 21 address, the president called for an end to “political games,” effectively shifting the focus from the domestic political crisis to foreign policy. He said that Ukraine is facing “one of the most difficult moments” in its history, with the risk of losing either its dignity or “a key partner” — a reference to the U.S.
“The President’s Office used this situation to present the public with a simple choice. There is the greater evil, and there is the lesser evil. The lesser evil is the very unpleasant internal corruption scandal, but it must be pushed to the background because right now, we must address the global issue,” political analyst Ihor Reiterovych told the Kyiv Independent.
A lawmaker from Zelensky’s party said on condition of anonymity that the peace plan has indeed diverted attention from the corruption scheme but “no one has forgotten about it.”
Amid the corruption scandal, Zelensky has faced increasing pressure from both the opposition and some members of the president’s party to fire his chief of staff Yermak and replace him with someone more credible.
Yermak is controversial due to his alleged involvement in the scandal.
One of the luxury houses near Kyiv financed through the Energoatom corruption scheme was meant for Yermak, a law enforcement source told the Kyiv Independent. The President’s Office did not respond to requests for comment.
Yermak’s critics also argue that, since power is monopolized in his hands, he could not have been unaware of the corruption scheme and bears political responsibility for it.
Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and a former defense minister, has also come under fire. According to the NABU, Mindich committed his crimes by influencing Umerov.
Despite the backlash, Zelensky has refused to dismiss Yermak and Umerov. Moreover, he appointed them to take part in the U.S.-Ukraine talks in Switzerland on Nov. 23.
“We don’t need smart people, we need loyal ones.”
“It’s an attempt to give them some kind of immunity. What’s driving this? Is it an effort to protect his friends, or is it for professional reasons? I don’t know,” the source from Zelensky’s party told the Kyiv Independent.
“Maybe the leadership thinks it will somehow resolve itself. But that’s unlikely to happen,” the source added. “People are waiting for concrete actions.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) and Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak hold a press conference following their closed-door talks on a U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine, at the U.S. Mission in Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 23, 2025. (Fabrice Coffrini / AFP via Getty Images)
According to Reiterovych, Zelensky included Yermak and Umerov in the Ukrainian delegation since he doesn’t trust any other people.
“The logic behind the personnel policy of the President’s Office has been clear for a long time: we don’t need smart people, we need loyal ones,” he said.
Experts believe that, by keeping both officials in their posts, the president is signaling that anti-corruption agencies shouldn’t target those close to him during crucial negotiations with Washington, as it could derail the talks.
“It’s a lifeline. But a temporary one,” Fesenko said.
In the past, pressure from Trump’s administration also bolstered Zelensky’s position at home, uniting Ukrainian society around the country’s national interests. After the heated Oval Office clash between Zelensky and Trump in February, the president’s approval rating rose from 57% to 68%, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
Following the Geneva talks, Zelensky said the plan had been scaled back from its original 28 points to better align with Ukraine’s needs. He added that the most sensitive issues would be discussed directly with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Reiterovych argues that, while the controversial peace plan has effectively shielded Zelensky from the domestic political crisis, it’s unlikely to have the same effect as the Oval Office clash in February.
Even if Zelensky eventually engages in new talks with Trump, his involvement is expected to bring only short-term results, as Russia will continue to obstruct progress, leading to a repetitive cycle that prolongs the war, he said.
“Let’s be honest, we won’t get a version (of the plan) that fully satisfies us,” the expert continued. “The ambiguous points that will be included in it will actually work against Zelensky.”
In an effort to deflect blame for both the controversial peace plan and the corruption scandal, Zelensky has accused his domestic critics of serving Russian interests.
“People haven’t taken to the streets yet because they feel there is a threat: a very dangerous situation at the front and this peace plan.”
On Nov. 23, Zelensky said that partner intelligence agencies had informed Kyiv that “the Russian position has begun to make its way through certain Ukrainian actors as well.” He did not elaborate.
This narrative of Russian influence is not new. Back in July, Zelensky signed a law eliminating anti-corruption agencies’ independence, claiming that it was intended to curb Russian interference.
Protesters hold placards during a demonstration in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 22, 2025, urging the president to veto a law that strips independence from anti-corruption agencies NABU and SAPO. (Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP via Getty Images)
According to experts, the political crisis may be reignited again if the authorities launch a fresh attack on anti-corruption bodies or their leaders.
“People haven’t taken to the streets yet because they feel there is a threat: a very dangerous situation at the front and this peace plan. If they go out now, it will not be a fight against corruption, but an internal conflict that could only play into Putin’s hands,” said Fesenko.
“But if (the authorities) launch an attack on the NABU, they will only provoke a political crisis again. And I believe that would be a huge, if not fatal, mistake.”
Note from the author:
Hello there! This is Kateryna Denisova, the author of this piece. I hope you found this article informative. Despite Russia’s ongoing full-scale war, Ukraine’s domestic politics has been back in the spotlight in recent months.
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Zelensky appears to hold on to embattled chief of staff Yermak, faces weakened grip on parliament as a result
