Editorial: Zelensky can fix this crisis — but he has to change how he leads

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is facing the second-biggest test of his presidency — and it may prove even trickier than leading the country's resistance against Russia.

But it is this challenge that will determine whether he goes down in history as simply a brave man or a principled leader truly worthy of this country.

As Ukraine is entering its toughest winter ever, Zelensky needs to urgently right several wrongs, or it could cost the country its very existence.

A recent corruption scandal in the country's energy sector — the largest of Zelensky's tenure — and very worrying front-line developments have highlighted weaknesses in a system of leadership that greedily concentrates power, tolerates no criticism, and excuses incompetence in favor of loyalty.

Zelensky has governed that way since he took office in 2019. But now, nearly four years into a full-scale war, the flaws from this style of governing run so deep that they are threatening the country's very survival.

Last week’s revelations of corruption in the president’s circle have thrown Zelensky and his administration into an unprecedented crisis, one that is still evolving. They left the same question on everyone’s minds: Was the president involved in it? It is a demonstration of suicidally bad decision-making that Zelensky hasn't rushed to answer publicly.

While he has taken steps to distance himself from the scheme’s known high-profile participants by imposing sanctions and ordering resignations, they are not enough.

Unprecedented scandal requires unprecedented reaction. So far, Zelensky hasn’t publicly decried any of his close associates involved in the scheme, even though they stand accused of stealing millions of dollars from the country during wartime, nor has he taken steps to convince the public that he wasn’t a part of the scheme, or that he will act to prevent it from happening again.

It doesn’t help that Zelensky himself created an astounding first act of this crisis — back in July, when he signed a bill to effectively destroy the very anti-corruption agencies now leading the investigation into his circle. Mass street protests and intervention by Brussels forced him to roll it back, but the damage was done: It went on Zelensky’s record that he had tried to undermine the country's anti-corruption infrastructure, just as an investigation was closing in on his friends.

If this crisis is fixable at all, it’s only fixable now. Zelensky needs to address the questions that both Ukrainians and foreign partners have by proving he is not personally involved in corruption and is a true supporter of a fair and independent investigation, despite his earlier actions. This is not just a domestic issue — it's a matter of the trust that Ukraine's partners place in the country as they help it fight for survival.

In the past few years, Zelensky has gained international stardom as the face of Ukraine, its fight, and resilience. He has certainly enjoyed the spotlight and appears to have let himself be affected by the admiration. It's time for him to recognize the responsibility that comes with representing an entire country and save Ukraine's image abroad from sinking with his.

Sending a clear signal of righting the wrong requires tough personnel decisions. Reporting suggests that after years of criticism, Zelensky is finally considering firing his notorious chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, who has accumulated unprecedented power in his role. If Yermak is replaced by someone less power-hungry and more capable, it would be a positive signal — as long as it's not just a face-saving measure.

When he has adequately addressed the crisis in Kyiv, Zelensky needs to turn east. Ukraine is about to lose the city of Pokrovsk, and more. Last week, several prominent figures sounded the alarm about the state of Ukraine’s defense, Russia’s recent rapid gains, and how these setbacks stem from systematic issues in the way Ukraine’s Armed Forces are run.

Zelensky and his team must put politics aside, stop shielding their friends from corruption investigations, and focus on Ukraine's survival — which starts on the battlefield.

We are not military experts or commanders, but criticism of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi's leadership is deafening. If he is replaced, Zelensky should choose a commander of the Armed Forces based on skill, not loyalty or political optics. Concerns that a candidate could gain political prominence and compete with Zelensky for popularity should not factor into the decision.

When Syrskyi was appointed commander-in-chief in early 2024, the mission ahead was challenging, but the strategy should have been simple. To exhaust Russian offensive potential and set the stage for a secure peace, Ukraine needed to wage the most efficient attritional fight possible, protecting its soldiers’ lives and, in turn, its territory.

Instead, under Syrskyi, Ukraine has waged a war of facades, defined by a culture of micromanagement, favoritism, false reporting, and an infamous “no step back” policy on the battlefield, which has systemically led to avoidable losses and, with it, an overstretched defense with little to no reserves. Consistent calls from some of Ukraine’s most-trusted commanders, volunteers, and experts to “reform or perish” have been ignored.

What we see now, from Russia’s storming of Pokrovsk and the slow-motion collapse of Ukrainian lines in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, to desertion rates at an all-time high and mass distrust in the mobilization process, can all be traced back to these systemic problems.

All of these crises reaching a boiling point is not a random mosaic of unconnected events. They are the result of a system that values loyalty above merit and is designed to push out any actor who shines too brightly or offers criticism. It’s a system centered around ego and politics — and it’s making Ukraine weaker.

If Ukraine is to survive, Zelensky needs to take a sobering look at the mistakes that led him here, and act fast to fix them. He must stop seeing maliciousness in every criticism — including this editorial — and listen to a variety of informed opinions. It’s not too late to right the wrongs in Zelensky’s governance, as long as he is capable of seeing them.

When he stayed in Kyiv to lead the fight against Russia's invasion, Zelensky rose to the challenge in a way that surprised the world. He has no choice but to find it in himself to do so again.