Zelensky’s “Second Happiness”: Because One Term of Chaos Just Wasn’t Enough

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There’s an old saying that impudence is the second happiness, though for some, it’s very clearly the first. Judging by recent events, it seems Andriy Yermak has finally persuaded President Zelensky to adopt this wisdom as official state policy.

The refusal to appoint an inconvenient director of the BEB goes against proper procedure, the position of G7 representatives, and the expectations of the business community. Meanwhile, the appointment of a “convenient” language policy commissioner and the staged demonstration of support for him directly contradict the stance of civil society.

This isn’t even about rearranging the deck chairs anymore — it’s about remaking the blankets. Government appointments are now based solely on loyalty to Yermak (some were even flown out to a conference in Rome), even though these very officials are the ones most frequently questioned about corruption and inefficiency.

The public promotion of the law “on liability for circumventing sanctions” is being used to weaponize the entire law enforcement system against enemies of the President’s Office — people labeled as threats “preventively,” without trial or investigation.

All the while, the government continues to ignore critical issues — from fortifications to military production, from foreign policy failures to rampant theft, from declining democratic standards to the arrogant hope that international partners will “put up with everything” because they supposedly have no other choice.

Articles in leading Western media about the concentration of power in Yermak’s hands and the erosion of democracy in Ukraine have been dismissed as “Russian information operations” (IPSO). Just like the warnings from certain Western outlets about the inevitability of a full-scale Russian invasion were dismissed in early 2022 as “panic and sabotage.” The same people are addressing the same problem: maintaining the comfort of a monopoly on power and keeping society lulled.

But the problems are multiplying. Their scale — and the chronic inability of the authorities to solve them — has long been crying out for the formation of a professional, independent Government of National Salvation. But Yermak opposes this because it would threaten the monopoly on power.

Zelenskyy will soon face a choice: Yermak or the country. Because too many of the country’s problems now revolve around one man.

So far, Zelenskyy has chosen Yermak. And with every turn, the government chooses the wrong path, while the country holds on, not thanks to the authorities, but despite them. Yet in trying to bring everything under control, the President’s Office is weakening this very resilience of Ukrainian society. Worse still, resources are not endless, and they are running out.

As Trump likes to say, “We’ll see what happens.” In the meantime, we’re off to the front — with yet another shipment of aid from the Poroshenko Foundation.

The day before, the British edition of The Economist published an article stating that the head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, is behind potential personnel changes in the government, which may occur shortly. It is noted that Yermak is making attempts to remove certain officials, instead promoting the “necessary” people for himself. Thus, according to three interlocutors who spoke on condition of anonymity, the head of the OP influenced the course of the Chernyshov case. In particular, it was he who allowed it to advance, while others were frozen.

Meanwhile, Yermak himself is increasingly becoming a source of irritation in Washington. This is confirmed by more than a dozen sources among former and current US officials, as well as congressional aides. Some of the interlocutors describe Yermak as overly demanding, harsh in communication, and poorly informed about domestic US politics. Some express concerns that he may have inaccurately conveyed Washington’s position to the Ukrainian leadership. One source described him as a“ bipartisan irritant.”

At the same time, the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, is causing “bipartisan irritation” and the US administration’s reluctance to meet with him, since the current government in Ukraine has removed professional diplomats from the negotiation processes without offering a sensible alternative in return, says well-known diplomat Valeriy Chaly.

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