Yermak has concentrated power in his hands like in authoritarian regimes – Zelensky’s role is nominal, says Financial Times

The role of Andriy Yermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, is causing growing concern both within the country and abroad.

In a new high-profile publication, the Financial Times claims that Yermak is, in effect, running Ukraine, having concentrated enormous power in his hands while bypassing democratic institutions.

According to Western diplomats and Ukrainian officials, Yermak’s influence has long exceeded his formal responsibilities. He is said to control key areas of state policy — from peace negotiations and international relations to the appointment of generals, ministers, and regional governors. Observers point out that his actions are virtually unchecked and lack accountability or oversight.

“He is the president, prime minister, and the entire cabinet rolled into one,” Financial Times quotes a Western diplomat.

Another source in Kyiv refers to Yermak as a “vice president,” emphasizing that the real levers of power lie with him rather than with the country’s officially elected representatives.

Observers are especially alarmed by Yermak’s role in personnel purges and appointments. One Ukrainian minister admitted that it is Yermak who decides who stays in power and who is removed.

Such a concentration of power in the hands of an unelected official has sparked sharp criticism and concern over the erosion of democratic principles.

A former employee of the President’s Office directly stated that Yermak is building a system “not much different from autocracy,” where all processes are controlled from a single center, and dissenting opinions are suppressed. In essence, it’s an attempt to create a power vertical with no political competition and paralyzed checks and balances.

In this context, reports of a possible replacement of the Prime Minister sound increasingly troubling. It was previously reported that if Yuliya Svyrydenko is appointed head of the Cabinet, all real power in the executive branch would remain with Yermak. The Cabinet of Ministers would, in effect, become a mere formality, with key decisions made directly in Yermak’s office.

Amid ongoing war, weakened parliamentary oversight, and the strengthening of a personalized power structure, criticism of Yermak is becoming sharper. Ukraine’s Western partners — who support the country in its struggle against aggression — are increasingly asking whether this model of governance aligns with the democratic standards that Ukraine officially claims to defend.