This is the second most important man in Ukraine after Zelanski. Everyone has enough of him
Since Russia's full invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Jermak regularly visits Washington and plays the role of an intermediary between the President of Ukraine and the USA. However, many people in Washington believe that he does not have enough knowledge about the policy of the United States, they are spraying and excessively demanding towards American officials, and in general they cannot move in the internal structures of the Washingtonian establishment on the Capitol. Some are also afraid that he does not thoroughly convey the position of the United States to the leaders of Ukraine.
Politico talked about this subject with 14 people, including congress assistants, former American and Ukrainian officials and other people informed about Jermak's contacts in Washington. Most of the interlocutors, for security, spoke anonymously in this matter.
One of the people familiar with Jermak's contacts with the Trump administration described him as “a man who irritates all sides.” Many people are afraid that Jermak's behavior is increasingly threatened by the already tense relations between Ukraine and Trump's administration at a decisive moment when Kiev is dependent on US support in defense against ongoing Russia attacks.
Jermak said in a statement provided by his spokesperson that he was doing everything in his power to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and security. – If this means that others consider me “difficult”, let it be so. I will wait many hours before each door, if my president and the mission of my president will help – he said. – I have no ambition to fully understand how American politics works – I came to talk about a country that I know best: Ukraine – he added.
“We don't know why he came here”
Zelanski did not reach the planned meeting with Trump during the G7 summit this week, because the US President left the peak ahead of time, citing the escalation of tension in the Middle East.
It is still unclear whether Zelanski will have another chance to meet with Trump during the NATO summit next week. The situation of Ukraine is expected to be less in the foreground during the defense Alliance meeting compared to recent years, because the alliance leaders are trying to avoid conflict with Trump.
Biden administration officials were also frustrated by Jermak's behavior, but they were able to largely hide their irritability due to the serious nature of the war and the key role of Washington in strengthening the defense of Kiev from Russian aggression – says the high -ranking official of Bidena administration and three other people familiar with the relations between the US and Ukraine.
Trump's administration is not so favorable.
According to five well -oriented informants, during the last visit to Washington at the beginning of June, Jermak had difficulty organizing meetings with high -ranking Trump administration officials. Zelanski's advisor came without a clear plan, and the opinions of the people he met with were: “We don't know why he came here,” said one of the informants.
The meeting of Andrij Jermak-Macro Rubio was canceled at the last minute, he added. However, as the sources say, the chief of the Zelans staff came to the Secretary of State, who also fulfills the duties of a national security advisor in the White House. The Ukrainian official published a photo from this “meeting” on portal X and stated that they managed to discuss the situation on the battlefield and the urgent need for Ukraine in the field of air defense.
The head of the staff of Trump Susie Wiles told Jermak to wait in the White House, and then canceled the meeting, as one of the people familiar with the events reported, while the office of vice president JD Vance never even responded to the request for a meeting.
The White House, the Department of State and the Vice President's Office did not respond to requests for comment in this matter.
Oleksij Tkaczuk, Jermaka spokesman, denied the information provided to Politico and said that Jermak met with Rubio in his office in the White House, and the meeting with the Wiles took place as planned, but was shorter than initially anticipated.
The source from the White House said, however, that Wiles did not meet Jermak during his June visit to Washington.
“Tense” relationships
Tkaczuk said that the main goal of the journey, in which Jermak was accompanied by a delegation of high -ranking Ukrainian officials, was to conduct a closed high -level conference for members of the US Senate on the state of war and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and to discuss further sanctions on Russia.
People familiar with Kiev's relations with his most important partner characterized Jermak's contacts with both administrations as tense and difficult. They stated that Jermak, a former film producer, still has difficulty navigating the corridors of power in Washington, although almost six years have passed since he became his closest associate of Zelanski.
“He thought, for example, that the agreement on key minerals is so important for Trump that in exchange for no Ukraine he would get security guarantees,” said the informant, referring to the joint investment fund, which is to provide the United States with access to huge minerals in Ukraine. This person described this idea as “absurd”.
As reported by the sources of Politico, in private conversations with allies, Jermak accused Trump's administration officials of the fact that they are Russian agents, including the Messenger of Trump to the Middle East Steve Witkoffwho met Putin four times when Trump tried to persuade Moscow to negotiate.
People familiar with relations between the USA and Ukraine and supporters of Kiev in Washington are afraid that the friction caused by Jermak can quickly spread and undermine the position of his country towards the most important partner.
– At the moment there is serious distrust of the Zelanski administration. The inability of Kiev to understand the political dynamics of the United States has a disastrous influence [na wspólne relacje] – said Ron Wahid, head of the company Arcanum Global, who deals with strategic intelligence. Wahid served as an unofficial advisor during peace conversations in Ukraine.
Wahid said.
“Existential burden” for Ukraine
Jermak's visit was not completely fruitless. He met with legislators on the Capitol, as well as with the special envoy of Trump to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg. He also met with the deputy secretary of state Christopher Landau.
A person familiar with Jermak's contacts with the Trump administration said that she was informed that during the visit Jermak was “extremely willing to cooperate and helpful.” Nevertheless, according to another source, Jermak was “very frustrated” with its results.
The visit was a “disaster from the perspective of Ukraine,” said the second informant who described Jermak as “existential burden” for Ukraine.
People who know Zelanski's relations with Jermak described them as interdependence. Some say they are afraid that the Ukrainian leader cannot be convinced to limit Jermak's influence.
Meanwhile, the future of US help for Ukraine has been questioned since the re -election of Trump, which clearly prefers cooperation with world leaders who can flatter him.
A person familiar with the thinking of the administration of the current US president described Jermak as a person behaving as if Ukraine was the “center of the world”, adding that “it had already influenced [jej] relations [z USA]” – Trump always says that what they say and do [władze w Kijowie]does not help – she said.
David Arakamia, a Ukrainian parliamentarian and chairman of the Servant of the Nation in the Ukrainian parliament, defended Jermak's last journey to Washington, describing it as a success. He describes Jermak as “necessary, not only because he works closely with the president, but also because of his contacts, skills and diplomatic experience.”
“Ungrateful” Zelanski and “Difficult” Jerrem
The Trump administration is fighting to end the war in Ukraine, which has been going on for the third year. Trump exerts more pressure on Ukraine than Russia to sit at the negotiating table – among others, he temporarily suspend military assistance and intelligence support in March after a dramatic confrontation with Zelanski in the oval office in February this year.
Zełenski himself also sometimes also frustrated Biden's administration, increasing the demands of military assistance. At least once, former president Joe Biden reportedly lost control of himself in an interview with the President of Ukraine, urging him to show a bit more gratitude.
Former Biden administration official was a high -ranking official, he described the relationship with the deputy Zelanski as “difficult”, adding that Jermak did not understand the subtlety of diplomacy.
According to many people familiar with this relationship, Jermak is known for strict control of access to the President of Ukraine. During Biden administration, officials were afraid that Jermak was filtering the messages transmitted to them by Zelanski and Vice Versa.
However, more favorable to Jermak Biden administration was ready to make every effort to strengthen his cooperation and even help him determine what Washington should ask for and what arguments to present. This is what the former minister of the Ukrainian government claims.
Nevertheless, there were frustrations related to Jermak, and former Secretary of State Antony Blinken – just like the US Ambassador in Kiev Bridget Brink – repeatedly asked Jermak that he was not always physically present during meetings with the President of Ukraine.
BRINK spokesman denied that she had ever asked for exclusion of Jermak from meetings. He noted that it is not American officials who decide who can participate in the meeting from a foreign government. The spokesman of the Blinken did not immediately answer at the request for comment.
The former Ukrainian minister added, however, that these requests were firmly rejected by Zelanski, which was confirmed by Politico, a former Ukrainian security officer.
Jermak's behavior can only strengthen voices in the Republican Party and among Trump's allies who want to end US support for Ukraine – one of the informants argued. “Everyone here who wants to retreat and abandon Ukraine is delighted with the presence of Jermak,” he concluded.
