The top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington on Tuesday amid ongoing peace negotiations with Russia.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office and widely regarded as the driving force behind Zelensky’s administration, arrived in the U.S. capital just one day after a Ukrainian delegation met with Russian counterparts in Istanbul. During that meeting, the Ukrainian side received what have been described as stringent Russian proposals for a potential ceasefire or broader political settlement.
Yermak, notably dressed in a formal black suit—a departure from the military adjacent attire typically adopted by Ukrainian officials since 2022—held discussions with Keith Kellogg, President Donald Trump’s envoy on Ukraine. The focus of the meeting was continued military assistance to Ukraine.
“We discussed the situation at the front, the results of the meetings in Istanbul, the importance of strengthening sanctions against Russia, and defense assistance to Ukraine,” Yermak said following the meeting.
He also accused Moscow of attempting to sabotage the peace process, adding, “This should be stopped by force.”
Yermak’s visit—just a day after Ukraine received Russia’s proposals and following an angry public rejection of those terms by President Zelensky—appeared aimed at securing continued U.S. backing. Meeting with Kellogg, a known Russia hawk and supporter of sustained aid to Ukraine, may have been a effort to try and convince President Trump to continued support for Ukraine, both in terms of military support and sanctions against Moscow.
However, on Monday, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack would state that Trump was “at the end of his patience” with the Ukraine war.
At the Istanbul meeting, Russia presented Ukraine with three proposals: one for a long-term political resolution and two separate ceasefire options. All three included sweeping territorial and political concessions, mandated elections that could result in the ousting of Zelensky’s party, and severe limits on Ukraine’s military—effectively marking the end of the post-2014 nationalist-led era in Ukraine.
The developments come as U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, claiming support from 82 senators, is pushing legislation to impose a 500% tariff on any nation purchasing Russian energy. Such a move, if enacted, would likely derail any ongoing negotiations toward peace between Kiev and Moscow.