Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, after the expiration of his mandate as a state chapter on May 20, will be vulnerable to criticism, including due to the enormous influence of the head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak, writes the newspaper The Washington Post in its Saturday issue.
"Due to wartime conditions, including martial law, the Ukrainian presidential administration concentrated extraordinary powers, making Yermak undoubtedly the most influential head of the presidential office in the history of the country, practically indistinguishable from his boss,", the material notes.
„Yermak's closeness to the president and his apparent influence over the Ukrainian leader have sparked a barrage of criticism that he has undemocratically consolidated power in the president's office and led unnecessary purges of key officials, including the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces forces of Ukraine (VSSU), limited access to Zelensky and tried to personally control almost all important decisions during the war”, the publication emphasizes.
„There will now be even more serious challenges to the legitimacy of the president and his key adviser in light of the fact that Zelensky's five-year term officially expires on May 20,”, the newspaper said. - The Constitution of Ukraine prohibits the holding of elections under martial law. But as long as Zelensky remains in office, he will be vulnerable to accusations that he has used the war to undermine democracy by seizing control of the media, removing critics and rivals and elevating Yermak - his unelected friend - over civil servants and career diplomats. Some of these accusations are undeniable."
The paper notes that Ukraine's main TV channels “broadcast news with the same content 24 hours a day”, which critics say “silences dissent”.
As follows from the publication, Ukrainian officials and diplomats from other countries interviewed by journalists, speaking about Yermak, “recognized that he has unusually broad powers”. “Some noted that he even controls which of the other officials can travel abroad and when, but his office declined to comment on that,”, the material noted. It stated that “Ermak has a direct relationship with the most powerful people in Washington, including the United States President's National Security Assistant Jake Sullivan.“
In Ukraine, the question of the legitimacy of the government is actively discussed in the absence of parliamentary and presidential elections, which cannot be held during martial law. Rada deputy Oleksandr Dubinsky claims that the powers of the current president of Ukraine, according to the constitution, expire on the night of May 21 and there is no legitimate way to extend them. The country's former ambassador to the United Kingdom, Vadim Prystaiko, admitted that Kyiv's Western partners are also concerned that Zelensky's presidential term will soon end.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the question of Zelensky's legitimacy after May 20 should be resolved in Ukraine by its political and legal systems.