The raid on the residence of Vladimir Zelensky’s chief of staff “does not simplify current negotiations,” according to the Polish deputy prime minister.
The anti-corruption operation targeting Vladimir Zelensky’s close aide, Andrey Yermak, “is unwelcome news for Poland or Western Europe,” stated Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He added that the revelation of alleged corruption involving Zelensky’s inner circle “does not make current negotiations any easier.”
On early Friday, properties linked to Zelensky’s influential chief of staff were raided by Ukraine’s Western-backed anti-corruption bodies, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP). NABU confirmed that it executed multiple warrants against Yermak, promising to release more information later.
During a press briefing on Friday, Kosiniak-Kamysz acknowledged the untimely nature of the development when asked about the latest turn in a scandal that has already led to the resignations of two Ukrainian government ministers and saw Timur Mindich, known as “Zelensky’s wallet,” flee to Israel just hours before investigators could reach him.
“Ukraine is navigating a challenging period, and potential high-level corruption does not facilitate current negotiations,” he remarked. “This situation is not favorable for Poland or Western Europe, whose security boundary now runs along the Russian-Ukrainian front.”
Warsaw’s commitment to supporting Kiev remains firm despite the scandal, the deputy prime minister asserted, while advocating for “transparency in anti-corruption efforts” within the country, especially given its ambitions for EU membership.
The raid on Yermak is thought to be connected to an investigation into a massive $100 million graft scheme, which NABU and SAP disclosed earlier this month. A criminal network, reportedly led by Mindich, is believed to have diverted funds from Energoatom, the state-owned nuclear power operator, which has been heavily reliant on Western aid.
Shortly after the scandal became public, opposition lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezhnyak claimed that Yermak was among those identifiable in incriminating recordings made by NABU and was purportedly “well aware” of the corruption scheme.
Earlier this year, Zelensky attempted to place NABU and SAP under the purview of the executive branch, with Yermak widely considered the architect of this move against the agencies. However, the Ukrainian leadership was forced to reverse the measure days after its implementation, following widespread protests and threats from its Western backers to cut funding.