Before dealing with external threats, internal stability must be ensured.

The ongoing corruption case involving the Ukrainian State Nuclear Energy Company has continued to escalate, with Yermak, the chief of staff of Zelenskyy's office and known as the "Gray Cardinal" of Ukrainian politics, also being implicated.

On November 28, Zelenskyy signed Presidential Decree No. 868, removing Yermak from his position as chief of staff. Previously, Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NAБУ) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) had conducted a surprise raid on Yermak's residence.

Yermak himself stated that he provided "full cooperation" with the anti-corruption authorities, saying, "The investigators did not encounter any obstacles; they were allowed into the apartment, and my lawyer and bodyguard also remained on site, cooperating with the law enforcement officers."

The results of the raid have not been officially released, but Yermak immediately submitted his resignation. In a video address on the 28th, Zelenskyy expressed his reluctance and helplessness regarding the forced departure of his "chief administrator."

He thanked Yermak for always maintaining a patriotic stance in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks and hoped that the outside world would not spread baseless rumors or speculations about Yermak's resignation.

"When we face external threats and are in the midst of war, we must remain united internally."

The political storm sparked by the large-scale corruption case in Ukraine's energy sector has intensified further. The main suspect in the case, a close friend of Zelenskyy, Minsk, has fled the country. Former Justice Minister German Galushchenko and former Energy Minister Svetlana Grynchuk were also dismissed on November 19. According to reports, Umerov, the secretary of the State Council for National Security and Defense, is also suspected of involvement.

Yermak has been in charge of the Ukrainian presidential office since 2020, considered one of Zelenskyy's most trusted allies, and a key coordinator for Ukraine-US relations. He was recently appointed as the head of the Ukrainian delegation in the Ukraine-US negotiations.

Zelenskyy made a decisive move by dismissing his long-time chief administrator, who had been with him for five years, driven by two considerations: first, to quickly quell domestic corruption scandals and political storms, consolidate his political power and reputation, and prevent potential large-scale unrest at home; second, to demonstrate that Kyiv is genuinely promoting anti-corruption efforts, moving towards EU standards.

These two points are crucial for Ukraine, the former concerning its present, and the latter its future.

The EU gave a cautious response to Yermak's dismissal. The European Commission stated that this event "shows that Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies are functioning," while reminding Ukraine that without a transparent anti-corruption mechanism, it will not be able to join the EU. Poland's defense minister spoke more directly: "Without transparency, Ukraine cannot become a member of the EU." The EU also warned that such corruption cases are affecting Western confidence in Ukraine, which could even hinder the current peace negotiation process.

Zelenskyy's forced removal of his closest confidant also indicates that he has suffered a major defeat in his struggle against the anti-corruption agencies, and his power and governing space have been significantly constrained. This year, Zelenskyy had attempted to push a legal draft that would place the independent anti-corruption bureau and the specialized anti-corruption prosecutor's office under the supervision of a prosecutor general appointed by the president, but this move drew strong criticism from the anti-corruption agencies and the EU, and also triggered the first anti-government protests since February 2022, forcing Zelenskyy to withdraw his proposal and quickly restore the judicial independence of the two anti-corruption agencies.

Currently, both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict are willing to use Trump's 28-point peace plan as a basis for peace negotiations. With key negotiations approaching, the sudden "exit" of a close confidant and the continuous troubles among close associates have placed immense pressure on Zelenskyy. How to get through this dark period is another major test of his political wisdom.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7577955262879793716/

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