Media: Senior Ukrainian officials urge Zelenskyy to dismiss presidential office chief

Senior government officials close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are reportedly urging him to dismiss the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, following a high-profile National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) investigation known as “Midas.” The probe, which focuses on alleged corruption in the energy sector, has triggered significant turbulence within the ruling team.

Throughout the past week, Zelenskyy has held a series of meetings with key political and security figures to discuss ways to stabilise the situation after the investigation’s publication. Some of these meetings were publicly acknowledged, including discussions with Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko, Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, Kyrylo Budanov, Caliber.Az reports quoting Ukrainska Pravda. 

Sources familiar with the discussions said that most officials consulted by the president offered different proposals for managing the crisis, but nearly all independently recommended replacing Yermak as head of the Presidential Office.

A source close to the leadership of the ruling Servant of the People party said that only a small number of lawmakers were not calling for Yermak’s resignation. According to this source, lawmakers believed the parliamentary faction risked fracturing if the leadership change did not occur, even though they stressed that no direct pressure or ultimatums were being issued.

Within the Servant of the People party, a group described by insiders as a “coalition of the determined” has reportedly formed. Members of this group are said to be considering leaving the faction if Yermak remains in his post.

By Sabina Mammadli