A top Ukrainian official on Saturday defended President Trump’s July phone call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during which Trump reportedly urged authorities in Kiev to investigate dealings in the Eastern European county by the son of former Vice President Joe Biden.
“I know what the conversation was about and I think there was no pressure,” Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko told the Hromadske media outlet. “There was talk, conversations are different, leaders have the right to discuss any problems that exist. This conversation was long, friendly, and it touched on many questions, sometimes requiring serious answers.”
Zelenskiy’s office has not commented on the allegations. Trump and Zelenskiy are expected to meet in person at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Trump had repeatedly asked Zelenskiy to investigate Hunter Biden, who had ties to a natural gas firm that was being investigated by a Ukrainian prosecutor as part of a corruption probe.
Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has suggested that Joe Biden, the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, worked while he was vice president to protect his son’s company from being investigated.
“President Trump is interested, his advisor, Giuliani, newspapers, Democrats, Republicans are interested in whether pressure had been put on Ukraine,” Prystaiko said during the same interview. “I want to say that we are an independent state, we have our own secrets.” – READ MORE