Andriy Yermak, the influential chief of staff of Ukraine's President, has resigned hours after the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) conducted searches in his office.
The resignation was confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his regular video address to the Ukrainian people on November 28.
Zelenskyy said that he was "grateful" to Yermak, who had been leading the Ukrainian delegation for talks with the United States in Geneva last week about a potential settlement of the war in Ukraine.
"The Ukrainian position in the negotiation track has always been presented as it should be," Zelenskyy said. "It has always been a patriotic position. But I want there to be no rumors and speculation."
He added that he would hold consultations on November 29 with the chief of the General Staff, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and other officials on finding a replacement for Yermak.
"One hundred percent of our strength will be focused on the defense of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. "Everyone must now act exactly like this, in the interests of our state, and defend our state. This is an unchanging principle. Meetings with the American side will take place in the near future."
SEE ALSO: Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's Talisman -- Or Albatross?Earlier in the day NABU said in a statement that it was searching the Yermak's office and added that the "investigative actions are authorized and are being carried out as part of the investigation. Details to follow."
A correspondent for Ukrainian media outlet Ukrayinska Pravda reporting from the scene shared images of anti-corruption agency employees entering the government district in Kyiv, but did not provide further details.
Shortly afterward, Yermak's office confirmed that they were fully cooperating with the investigators.
"Today, NABU and SAPO are indeed conducting procedural actions at my home. The investigators are not encountering any obstacles. They have been given full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officials. For my part, I am providing full cooperation," Yermak wrote on Telegram.
Yermak is considered to be one of the most powerful officials in Ukraine, but his position had become the subject of much speculation after Ukraine was rocked by a corruption scandal in recent weeks when it was revealed that funds meant for the country's vulnerable energy infrastructure have been siphoned off.
Several influential individuals with links to Zelenskyy have been implicated in the scheme. Ever since the corruption scandal broke, several Ukrainian lawmakers, including from Zelenskyy's own "Servant of the People" political faction had called for Yermak to step down.
Speaking ahead of the resignation, Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta Center for Political Studies in Kyiv, told RFE/RL that Zelenskyy faces "a difficult choice. Especially since Yermak is also the head of the delegation in negotiations with the United States regarding ending the war,".
"In my view, temporary removal would be the most balanced compromise option -- at least for the duration of the investigation," Fesenko concluded.
Andriy Yermak (left) with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (file photo)
Answering a question from RFE/RL on the issue, European Commission spokesperson Guillaume Mercier said "any investigations show that the anti-corruption bodies are in place and are allowed to function in Ukraine. The fight against corruption has been a central element of our enlargement package, which provides our general position on the matter. Let me stress that the fight against corruption is key for a country to join the European Union."
Ukraine applied to join the EU shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and is an official candidate country but is yet to start formal accession negotiations.
Meanwhile, in a recent interview with The Atlantic, Yermak, said that ceding sovereign territory is off the table in Ukraine peace talks.
In the interview published on November 27, he stated that as long as Zelenskyy remains president, no one should expect Ukraine to give up any territory.
"Not a single sane person today would agree to a document that involves giving up territory," Yermak said, according to The Atlantic.