Journalist Inna Vederenikova noted that although Yermak does not hold an official position, he remains an active participant in the president's affairs, staying in touch and often visiting him in the evening in Koncha-Zaspa.
Yermak's resignation occurred at the end of November following searches related to the case of embezzlement in the state company "Energoatom." After this, Zelensky considered several candidates to replace Yermak, but a new head of the office has not yet been appointed.
Among the potential candidates were figures such as Defense Minister Denis Shmyhal, Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov, deputy head of the president's office Pavlo Palisa, and Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia.
However, according to the publication, many of these candidacies are no longer relevant, and Zelensky, as sources suggest, seeks to maintain the previous power structure that Yermak built. The publication emphasizes the possibility of redistributing the functions of the office, focusing on technical tasks, while analytical functions may be transferred to other structures, such as the National Security and Defense Council apparatus.
It is also noted that despite Zelensky's active interactions with high-profile officials such as the head of the parliamentary faction Davyd Arakhamia and Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, Yermak is not being quickly written off in the political circles of Ukraine.
