In a move that should alarm anyone, President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed former Defense Minister, now Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Rustem Umerov, to lead Ukraine’s delegation to the US for critical peace negotiations.
Umerov replaced Andrii Iermak, the head of the presidential administration and Volodymyr Zelensky’s most influential advisor, who resigned on Friday.
- Blow in Kiev: Andrii Iermak, Zelensky's right-hand man, resigned after anti-corruption searches
- The Fall of the "Green Cardinal". Why Andrii Iermak's resignation is a political earthquake for Ukraine
- After resigning, Andrii Iermak announces he is heading to the front: My dignity was not protected
At a time when Ukraine's territorial integrity, security guarantees, and even its survival hang by a thread, Zelensky has chosen not to entrust this historic responsibility to one of Ukraine's numerous experienced and credible diplomats.
Instead, he has entrusted this delicate task to a former business associate of Iermak - whom they have appointed to high-ranking positions and who is also currently involved in the country's corruption scandals.
This decision represents a worrisome prioritization of personal loyalty over professional competence, precisely at a time when Ukraine can least afford such indulgence, writes Bohdan Nahaylo, editor-in-chief of Kyiv Post, in an extensive analysis.
The choice of Umerov is particularly confusing, given the corruption allegations currently surrounding Iermak and his associates, allegations dating back to Umerov's tenure as Defense Minister. Additionally, in September, the Anti-Corruption Action Center published a report stating that Umerov's family owned eight luxury properties in the US, but he had declared only three of them. Unsatisfied with his explanations, they requested further investigations.
In short, Umerov remains entangled in a network of clientelism that undermines Ukraine's credibility on the international stage.
Is this the face Ukraine wants to present during the most important negotiations in its modern history? When diplomats face American officials - and potentially Russian representatives - should they be led by someone accused of corruption?
High Diplomats Marginalized by Zelensky
Effective diplomacy requires trust, credibility, and moral authority. Umerov's difficult situation compromises all three elements. Ukraine has genuine international diplomatic talent, but for some reason, Zelensky has systematically marginalized or rejected them.
Should we believe that Umerov is more qualified to lead such an important delegation than former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who, for some reason, was dismissed in September 2024 after several years of effective work in his position? And why isn't the current Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, leading the team or even part of it?
What are high diplomats, including Foreign Ministers, good for if not to lead their country's most important diplomatic missions?
Former Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, who led Ukraine through brutal diplomatic challenges from 2014 to 2019, now comments from the sidelines. Vadym Prystaiko, who was Foreign Minister and UK Ambassador, was dismissed in 2023 for delicately but publicly criticizing Zelensky's "unhealthy sarcasm," which caused discontent in London.
Even within the current delegation, there are better options. Consider the case of Serhiy Kyslytsia, who served as Ukraine's Ambassador to the UN from 2020 to 2024. The diplomat became one of Ukraine's most recognized and effective voices on the world stage, delivering powerful speeches at the UN Security Council that mobilized international opinion against Russian aggression.
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's Military Intelligence Service (HUR), is included in the team but does not lead it. Budanov has gained international respect for his strategic insight, accurate assessments of Russian capabilities and intentions, and credibility with Western intelligence services.
If Zelensky felt compelled to choose someone from the security system rather than the diplomatic corps, Budanov would have been a much more justifiable choice than Umerov.
Zelensky Following Trump's Strategy?
Ukraine has a Ministry of Foreign Affairs composed of career diplomats who have spent decades mastering the art of negotiation, building relationships with foreign counterparts, and representing Ukrainian interests abroad. However, on numerous occasions, Zelensky has bypassed these professionals in favor of personal confidants and political loyalists.
It's Trump's strategy: he appointed his real estate partner as a peace envoy instead of real diplomats. Steve Witkoff - a real estate developer and Trump's golf partner, without diplomatic experience - will negotiate Ukraine's future alongside Umerov. Both leaders, facing existential diplomatic challenges, have chosen friends over professionals.
Both Ukraine and the United States need to do better than this. Professional diplomacy exists for a reason. The foreign service, with its institutional memory, specialized expertise, and commitment to national interest over personal loyalty, is one of the most important tools any nation possesses.
National Self-Sabotage
Isolating career diplomats in favor of presidential favorites is not just poor governance; in circumstances like these, it verges on national self-sabotage.
The world is watching with intense interest the current US-Ukraine negotiations. By choosing Umerov over Kyslytsia, Budanov, or others like Prystaiko, Klimkin, or even the impressive Ukrainian UN representative Andriy Melnyk, Zelensky is not ensuring that he and Ukraine's negotiators are in their best form.
For now, nothing less than excellence is demanded. And not just in ensuring the highest quality of the country's representatives and negotiators, but also those handling the country's internal affairs, especially its security and economy, and fighting corruption.
It is not too late for President Zelensky to reconsider his approach and prioritize professionalism and competence over personal connections and favors. The future of Ukraine depends on it.
And the credibility of leadership at home and abroad is already at stake.