Ukraine's president recently appointed Andriy Yermak – a polarising figure who has accumulated unprecedented power as head of staff – to lead his team in peace talks with the Trump administration. Photograph: Elodie Le Maou/AFP /Getty Images)Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday evening that his powerful and polarising chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, had resigned from his post after anti-corruption officials raided his residence and offices earlier in the day. The development is likely to further weaken Zelenskiy at a pivotal moment for Ukraine, as he seeks to reassure western partners that he is rooting out entrenched corruption. It also comes as US president Donald Trump puts renewed pressure on Kyiv to accept a peace deal. The case has heightened concern among Kyiv’s western allies over persistent corruption as Ukraine continues to seek substantial financial and military support.
