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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   487 thread views

Transnational Thursday for November 27, 2025

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c058lp086zvo

Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have begun searching the apartment of President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak.

One of the two agencies, anti-corruption bureau Nabu, confirmed that its investigative searches had been authorised and said further details would follow.

A corruption scandal has engulfed several figures close to Zelensky, though neither he nor his right-hand man Yermak have been accused of any wrongdoing.

Yermak has played a crucial role in Ukraine's response to Russia's full-scale war, and he is Kyiv's lead negotiator in peace talks with the US. However, his position has become increasingly under threat from critics calling for him to go.

Yermak, 54, confirmed on social media that both Nabu and the specialised anti-corruption prosecutor's office (Sapo) were "conducting procedural actions at my home" and had full access to his apartment, with his lawyers on site.

"From my side, there is full co-operation."

The searches come at a very awkward moment for Zelensky and his chief of staff, with US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll due to arrive in Kyiv by the end of this week as US President Donald Trump pushes ahead with a draft peace plan. US officials are heading to Moscow next week.

That is definitely a foreign directed strike against Zelensky - but I always thought that the anti corruption services were EU puppets and US, so not sure what and why is behind it, and why exactly in this moment.

There seems to be great pressure mounting to force Ukraine leadership to sign whatever rag of a document is presented to them and let the whole thing be over.

I always thought that the anti corruption services were EU puppets and US, so not sure what and why is behind it, and why exactly in this moment.

If they're US puppets, this is pretty much something you'd expect given [people in US administration have been explicitly advising Putin aides how to get the most favorable response from Trump.

I was never able to understand what the issue with that advice thing was. Except that it has Trump in the sentence. As if no one has ever advised Zelensky how to talk with Trump.

Or just people have invested so much of their identity and prestige in the whole Ukraine situation that for them any deal that is good for Russia is treason towards US.

As if no one has ever advised Zelensky how to talk with Trump.

Maybe they did, but it certainly looks like he didn't listen. If Trump indeed were so easy to manipulate - I'd expect Zelensky, having not many other levers, to solicit every advice in existence on how to do that and manipulate the heck out of him. But that doesn't seem to be happening.

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