Ukrainian foreign minister Vadym Prystaiko said Thursday that U.S. Ambassador to the E.U. Gordon Sondland had “never” linked U.S. aid to Ukrainian investigations of the 2016 elections or the Biden’s role in stopping a probe of Burisma.
Prystaiko spoke the day after the first public hearings in the House Intelligence Committee as part of the “impeachment inquiry,” where two witnesses said they came to believe there had been such a link — though only some time after Politico reported on August 28 that aid had been held up by the Trump administration.
One of the witnesses, Chargé d’affaires Bill Taylor, introduced new evidence that a staffer told him recently that he overheard Sondland speaking to President Donald Trump the day after his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, discussing “investigations.” The staffer also told Taylor that Sondland said that Trump was more interested in investigations than anything else.
As Breitbart News’ Kristina Wong noted, that new evidence — which is fourth-hand hearsay, plus opinion — added little new information, but was cited by Democrats and journalists as evidence that aid might have been linked to investigations Trump had asked the new Ukrainian government to pursue.
Lindsey Graham’s final mission nears finish line as world leaders gather to honor him
Democrats target more GOP House seats after socialist victories rock left-wing primaries
Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband details ‘big spiral’ as expert says one part ‘scared me’ in mom’s murder trial
Heroic 16-year-old lifeguard rescues child from monster surf in heart-stopping video
California family members claim they were attacked at luxury Maui resort during violent melee
Leaked Document Reveals How Senate Republicans Plan to Walk Tightrope on SAVE America Act
19 cadets rushed to hospitals after mystery illness strikes military-style youth academy in DC area
Biden ghostwriter tapes released after former president forfeits legal battle
Biden’s classified docs narrative crumbles amid release of ghostwriter tapes: ‘Be careful’
Trump Calls on John Thune to Hold Senators in D.C. Until They Terminate the Filibuster
Senate advances nomination of Jay Clayton to lead intel community
Georgia teenager pleads guilty to charging Capitol grounds with shotgun
Netflix Executive Takes Legal Action After Being Fired for Workplace Retreat Confession
Senate clears way for Trump’s top spy as key anti-terror program remains in limbo
Summer School: Republicans’ crusade to teach voters the ‘New Math’ on the ‘commie caucus’
On Thursday, Prystaiko said that there had been no link in discussions at the time with Sondland, as Reuters reported:
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Thursday that U.S. ambassador Gordon Sondland did not explicitly link military aid to Kiev with opening an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Interfax Ukraine reported.
…
“Ambassador Sondland did not tell us, and certainly did not tell me, about a connection between the assistance and the investigations. You should ask him,” Prystaiko said about Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union.
…
“I have never seen a direct relationship between investigations and security assistance,” Prystaiko was quoted as saying by Interfax. “Yes, the investigations were mentioned, you know, in the conversation of the presidents. But there was no clear connection between these events.”
Lindsey Graham’s final mission nears finish line as world leaders gather to honor him
Democrats target more GOP House seats after socialist victories rock left-wing primaries
Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband details ‘big spiral’ as expert says one part ‘scared me’ in mom’s murder trial
Heroic 16-year-old lifeguard rescues child from monster surf in heart-stopping video
California family members claim they were attacked at luxury Maui resort during violent melee
Leaked Document Reveals How Senate Republicans Plan to Walk Tightrope on SAVE America Act
19 cadets rushed to hospitals after mystery illness strikes military-style youth academy in DC area
Biden ghostwriter tapes released after former president forfeits legal battle
Biden’s classified docs narrative crumbles amid release of ghostwriter tapes: ‘Be careful’
Trump Calls on John Thune to Hold Senators in D.C. Until They Terminate the Filibuster
Senate advances nomination of Jay Clayton to lead intel community
Georgia teenager pleads guilty to charging Capitol grounds with shotgun
Netflix Executive Takes Legal Action After Being Fired for Workplace Retreat Confession
Senate clears way for Trump’s top spy as key anti-terror program remains in limbo
Summer School: Republicans’ crusade to teach voters the ‘New Math’ on the ‘commie caucus’
In his closed-door testimony last month, which was released by the House Intelligence Committee several days ago, Sondland told the committee that he had spoken frequently with Prystaiko and other Ukrainian officials during the period in question.
Sondland is due to testify in the public hearings next week.
Story cited here.
