Politico on Yermak: He offers ready-made solutions to Zelenskyy, has big ambitions, and seeks recognition
U.S. outlet Politico has published an extensive article about the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, focusing on his political influence, involvement in dismissals of officials, and role in diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing peace closer.
The article titled "The enigma of Andriy Yermak" was published in the print version of Politico, Censor.NET reports.
Critics quoted in the piece describe Yermak as a "ruthless political puppet master," a figure "on par with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy," and speak of his presidential ambitions.
The outlet writes that Yermak now leads Ukraine’s diplomatic efforts, including attempts to build ties with members of U.S. President Donald Trump’s team.
During negotiations in Istanbul in May 2025, Yermak reportedly took the lead, coordinating Ukraine’s positions with allies while avoiding direct talks with Russian representatives.
Some of the sources interviewed by Politico suggest that while traveling through Western capitals to promote Ukraine’s interests, Yermak may also be using the opportunity to bolster his own reputation. Yermak, however, denies this, saying he "entered politics together with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and will leave together with him."
"Yermak has been accused of everything — from being a Russian spy to a dangerous ‘gray cardinal’ or even a ‘Rasputin’-like figure holding sway over Zelenskyy. Yet the one trait Yermak likely does share with Rasputin, who enchanted the family of the Russian tsar, is a sharp instinct for reading people," the article notes.
What people who worked with him say about Yermak
"Yermak is a brilliant psychologist. He can read Zelenskyy and anticipate what he wants. He’s careful—he offers ready-made solutions to Zelenskyy, who hates being dragged into details and doesn’t want problems brought to him," said one former minister who had a serious conflict with the head of the President’s Office.
"Yermak has been close to Zelenskyy since day one at Bankova," recalls Zelenskyy’s former press secretary, Yuliia Mendel.
"They would train together regularly in the underground gym—that’s where they truly bonded, like workout buddies. Yermak outmaneuvered Andriy Bohdan by organizing the first major prisoner exchange with the Russians," Mendel adds.
Another former minister notes that the head of the President’s Office "has extremely big ambitions" and seeks recognition.
"He has extremely big ambitions, and the only thing he truly craves is recognition. Andriy can be charming, but he is driven by an overwhelming desire for his greatness to be acknowledged. He’ll tell you that public recognition means nothing to him, that he only cares about the country, and that even if his name disappears, it doesn’t matter. But none of that is true. He almost physically suffers when he’s pushed into the background—his name needs to be everywhere," Politico quotes an unnamed former minister as saying.
The article also mentions elements of Yermak’s biography. Politico writes that after graduating from university in the 1990s, he took on any work he could find — including working at a nightclub in Kyiv. The club, the outlet notes, attracted "gangsters and well-known pro-Russian politicians." Later, Yermak worked as a "fixer" for the luxury clothing store Sanahunt, helping to import exclusive collections from top French and Italian fashion houses for a clientele of oligarchs and politicians — a role that proved key to building his network of contacts.
Involvement in the dismissal of officials
Politico writes that Yermak quickly expanded his role and surrounded himself with people dependent on him — including a group of unpaid advisers who report exclusively to him. Few senior officials managed to keep their positions if Yermak wanted them out. One notable exception was the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, who retained independent access to President Zelenskyy.
The article also notes that the departure of some capable figures from the Cabinet and the military — specifically Dmytro Kuleba as foreign minister and General Valerii Zaluzhnyi as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces (with a strong implication of Yermak’s involvement) — sparked "internal anxiety" and "quiet unease among Western allies."
"We don’t have a fully functioning Cabinet of Ministers. Instead, we have a kind of quasi-cabinet led by Yermak, who controls access to the president’s agenda and to the president himself. And then there are these strange advisers who are not civil servants, don’t receive a salary from the state, and are not obligated to declare their assets," Politico quotes Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Center.
"Oligarchs are no longer Ukraine’s main internal problem. Not even corruption is the core issue. The biggest problem is the system of governance and how power has been monopolized," she adds.
In the article, Yermak rejects the criticism and allegations. He states that his task is to ensure the effective functioning of the President’s Office. He also defines his role as supporting the president in carrying out his constitutional duties.
