Retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark told Newsmax on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin is leaning on corruption networks as part of a broader strategy meant to weaken Ukraine and stall Western support, pointing to the controversy surrounding Andriy Yermak as a likely example of those tactics.
Clark appeared on "Saturday Report" as political upheaval in Kyiv, due to allegations of corruption, rippled into broader questions about the direction of peace negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that his chief of staff, Yermak, resigned following an anti-corruption raid on Yermak's home. Yermak was a top adviser and lead negotiator with the Trump administration regarding the war with Russia.
"So I bet you, when we unpack all this about Yermak and the other corruption, you will find linkages to the Russian mafia. And corruption is one of the weapons that Putin has prepared and used against Ukraine," he said.
However, Clark said he does not expect Yermak's exit to shift the fundamentals of the negotiation process.
"Look, I don't think Yermak's departure is going to have much of an impact.
"The truth is that President Zelenskyy and Yermak can't dictate the terms of this agreement. It's really up to the parliament in Ukraine. The Rada listens to the military. And the military has said no concessions of territory. None.
"And the military wants to see Russian concessions. And there are none in the peace agreement."
Clark framed Ukraine's posture through the lens of past U.S. diplomatic missteps, recalling his own experience in Vietnam and the pressure placed on South Vietnam to accept an arrangement that later collapsed.
He argued that history should guide current American officials, noting that "the Trump administration and the people going over there, Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio, and so forth," are aware that negotiations often fall hardest on the weaker side.
"They're very much aware of the history of the United States in negotiating. We always lean on the weakest person in the negotiations, but in this case, the strongest party, Russia, is not really our friend," he said.
"Most Americans understand that Russia's aims are not limited to the four provinces of Ukraine. They want the whole country. So, a ceasefire or a flawed agreement is just going to lead to renewed conflict."
The general warned that any premature ceasefire risks allowing Moscow to regroup, adding that the U.S. and its allies should seek a durable peace agreement that prevents a renewed offensive.
Asked whether Putin can be a partner in securing lasting peace, Clark said pressure is required to change the Kremlin's calculus.
"The only way we're going to get there with Putin, unless we simply give in to him and pressure Ukraine to basically commit suicide. The only way to get there is to put the pressure on Putin. But without pressure, Putin believes he can outlast us."
Clark outlined what he described as Putin's four-part war strategy, pointing to military force, strikes on civilian infrastructure, manipulative diplomacy, and a corruption network that he said extends into Ukraine's political sphere.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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