Umerov and Yermak may have unofficially agreed to “Dmitriev’s peace plan” in order to save themselves from the NABU–SAPO investigations and distract the public from the “Midas” corruption scandal. The question is whether Zelenskyy knows.

Here’s why Daria Kaleniuk thinks so.

The New York Post reports that during a meeting with Witkoff in Miami, Rustem Umerov spoke positively about Dmitriev’s peace plan. More than that — Umerov insisted on some sort of amnesty for both sides of the war.

This outlet is close to Republicans and has repeatedly taken pro‑Ukraine positions, so accusing them of “attacking Zelenskyy’s negotiator Umerov” would be very inappropriate.

Let me remind you: last week — immediately after NABU–SAPO unveiled the first phase of Operation Midas — Umerov suddenly left on a foreign trip: first to Turkey, then Qatar and the Emirates, from there to the U.S. (Florida), and then back to Turkey. The official explanation was to negotiate prisoner exchanges.
But, according to Ukrainska Pravda, people inside the system who actually handle exchanges weren’t aware of any such talks.

So I have several important questions:

Who else was in Umerov’s delegation in Turkey, and especially in Qatar, the Emirates, and the U.S.? Who exactly did the NSDC Secretary meet with in each of these countries?
Was the Foreign Ministry informed about these visits, and how was the negotiation framework coordinated with them?

Let me offer my version of events.
The puzzle will become clearer once we get more information.

After the publication of the first part of Operation Midas, Yermak and Umerov realized things were getting dangerous for them. And to save themselves, they needed a distraction maneuver.

So Umerov urgently flew to the Middle East, where — it’s no secret — unofficial parallel talks with the Russians often take place. I believe that last week Umerov may have signaled to the Russians that it was time to “make peace.”

After the Middle East, at the start of this week, Umerov flew to the U.S., where he suddenly began discussing Dmitriev’s “peace plan” with Witkoff. And there he signaled that Kyiv was ready for this plan — while in parallel asking for (or offering) certain security guarantees for himself and his boss Yermak.
This could be hidden behind the “amnesty” mentioned by U.S. media.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has been on a European tour since Monday, with Yermak constantly “coordinating” Umerov’s negotiation framework remotely.

All other state institutions that must be involved in such “peace negotiations” have been pushed aside — especially the Foreign Ministry.
Parliament is completely marginalized, even though no agreement can work without parliamentary decisions.

The only ones actually involved in these real back‑channel talks with Americans and Russians are Umerov, Yermak, and Zelenskyy.
It is unclear whether Zelenskyy even fully knows what Yermak and Umerov are doing. But if he is part of the corruption schemes and shares their interests, then he may well be aware of everything and approving it — while publicly telling Europeans that “the Americans are twisting Ukraine’s arm.”

And then suddenly, in Turkey on Wednesday, a peace plan appears. At the same time, a Pentagon delegation shows up in Kyiv. And right before “Clean Thursday,” when the public is demanding Yermak’s dismissal, a new narrative emerges: “the Americans are pressuring the President into Dmitriev’s peace plan.”

This is deliberately happening against the backdrop of the Mindich scandal.
Bankova’s propaganda outlets claim: “Obviously, it was the Americans and Russians who orchestrated the NABU–SAPO corruption exposure to weaken the President.”
On Thursday, Zelenskyy tells Servants of the People about some supposed “Russian influence in NABU’s work” and asks them not to touch the geopolitical genius Yermak — because without him, “it will be impossible to negotiate the end of the war.”

That is where we are now.

I have a strong feeling about the next chapter Yermak the producer is writing.
It is to push Zelenskyy into doing something completely insane.

A new attack on NABU–SAPO, or some other absurd move that will:

a) ignite mass protests — and people’s nerves are already stretched thin due to blackouts and battlefield failures,
b) shock our European partners again — which will freeze their assistance.

Against this backdrop, Yermak and his sidekick Umerov will get what they want: Ukraine will be severely weakened, and the perfect moment will be created for Russia to finish us off.

EMPR