Yermak causes irritation in Trump administration – Politico
The publication Politico claims that Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, causes irritation among members of the Donald Trump administration who have had the chance to interact with him.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to European Pravda.
Politico published an article dedicated to Yermak titled "The Ukrainian Official Washington Loves to Hate." The piece is based on conversations with 14 people — congressional aides, former American and Ukrainian officials, and others familiar with Yermak’s interactions in Washington.
"Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Yermak has regularly visited Washington and acted as an intermediary in relations with the Ukrainian president. However, many in Washington consider Yermak uninformed about American politics, blunt and overly demanding toward American officials, and generally incapable of navigating the internal processes of the Washington establishment on Capitol Hill," the article states.
Some sources interviewed by the publication also fear that Yermak inaccurately conveyed the U.S. position to Ukraine’s leadership. One person familiar with Yermak’s interactions with the Trump administration described him as a "bipartisan irritant."
Representatives of the Biden administration were also disappointed with Yermak, but, according to a former senior administration official and three other people knowledgeable about U.S.-Ukraine relations at the time, they largely managed to conceal their frustration given the emergency situation and Washington’s key role in strengthening Ukraine’s defense. The Trump administration did not show such leniency.
During a last-minute visit to Washington in early June, Yermak reportedly struggled to arrange meetings with senior Trump administration officials, according to five people familiar with the visit. Yermak allegedly arrived without a clear plan, and the feedback from those he did meet was: "We don’t know why he’s here," said one source familiar with the visit.
According to this source, Yermak’s meeting with Secretary of State Mark Rubio was canceled at the last moment. However, they said Yermak did eventually meet with Rubio, who also serves as a National Security Advisor, at the White House.
A person familiar with the visit said Trump administration Chief of Staff Susie Wiles made Yermak wait at the White House and then canceled the meeting, while Vice President JD Vance’s office did not respond at all to requests for a meeting.
People familiar with Kyiv’s relations with the U.S. described Yermak’s interactions with both administrations as tense and difficult. They said that Yermak, nearly six years after becoming Zelensky’s closest aide, is still struggling to navigate the corridors of power in Washington.
"For example, he believed that the critical minerals deal was so important to Trump that, in exchange, Ukraine would receive security guarantees," said a second insider familiar with the visit. This person called that belief "absurd."
In private conversations with like-minded associates, Yermak accused Trump administration officials of being Russian agents, according to a source familiar with the visit. This included Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin four times.
Those familiar with U.S.-Ukraine relations, as well as Kyiv supporters in Washington, fear that the tension caused by Yermak’s actions could quickly spread and undermine Ukraine’s position with its most important partner.
