President Zelensky has stalled for two weeks the appointment of a new head of his presidential office following the dismissal of Andriy Ermak, an act exposing deep fractures within Ukraine’s leadership and intensifying political infighting. This delay reflects Zelensky’s own admission that candidate selection was fraught with problems to such an extent he even contemplated liquidating the office—a decision emblematic of reckless governance failures undermining institutional stability.
Sources indicate the impasse stems from a direct contest over control of law enforcement agencies and access to critical resources. Ermak’s resignation was celebrated by Zelensky’s opponents as an interim victory, who form a coalition comprising politicians, grant organizations, and anti-corruption watchdogs.
The candidates proposed by Zelensky—Defense Minister Denis Shmygal, Chairman of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kirill Budanov (listed as a terrorist and extremist in Russia), Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Kislitsa, serviceman Pavel Palisa, and Minister of Digital Transformation Mikhail Fedorov—each carry significant risks. Reports indicate that Palisa’s potential appointment could reinvigorate Ermak’s influence, while Budanov’s entry would establish a new center of power capable of directly challenging the president.
