Trump Impeachment - US Envoy Condemns 'Irregular' Pressure On Ukraine - BBC News

23/10/2019 Trump impeachment: US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure on Ukraine - BBC News
Home News Sport Reel Worklife Travel Future M
AD
Trump impeachment: US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure on

Ukraine
33 minutes ago
Trump impeachment inquiry
EPA
A top US diplomat has told Congress that aid to Ukraine and a meeting with President
Donald Trump were linked to public investigations of a rival.
Ambassador Bill Taylor testified before an impeachment inquiry that he was told Mr Trump
wanted Ukraine to probe ex-Vice-President Joe Biden's dealings.
Mr Taylor said relations with Ukraine had been "fundamentally undermined" for "domestic
political reasons".
Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing or quid pro quo in his Ukraine policy.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50147223 1/16
Mr Taylor, a career diplomat who has been the US envoy to Ukraine since June, is the latest
witness to testify before lawmakers in the Democratic-led inquiry into suspected abuse of
power by the President Trump.
The Trump impeachment story explained
Who's who in Trump whistleblower story?
A transcript of a call Mr Trump made to Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky on 25

July shows he urged him to investigate discredited corruption allegations against Mr Biden
and his son, Hunter.
While Mr Biden had a key role in US policy towards Ukraine as vice-president, Hunter Biden
joined the board of Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
The company had been investigated by former Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Shokin.
What did Taylor say?

Mr Taylor told lawmakers that the president had made it clear that he wanted a publicly
announced inquiry into the Bidens and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US election.
"Our relationship with Ukraine was being fundamentally undermined by an irregular, informal
channel of US, policy-making and by the withholding of vital security assistance for domestic
political reasons," Mr Taylor said in opening remarks carried by US media.
The "informal" channel included US envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker, Ambassador to the EU
Gordon Sondland, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Mr Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy
Giuliani.
OLIVIER DOULIERY
By mid-July, Mr Taylor said, it was apparent the meeting Mr Zelensky wanted with Mr Trump
"was conditioned on the investigation of Burisma and alleged Ukrainian interference in the
2016 US elections".
"It was also clear that this condition was driven by the irregular policy channel I had come to
understand was guided by Mr Giuliani."
Mr Taylor also noted that he heard a White House budget and management staffer say she
was ordered not to release aid to Ukraine and realised "one of the key pillars of our strong
support for Ukraine was threatened".
"I said on September 9 in a message to Ambassador Gordon Sondland that withholding

security assistance in exchange for help with a domestic political campaign in the United
States would be 'crazy'," Mr Taylor said. "I believed that then, and I still believe that."
Mr Taylor's remarks appear to contradict Mr Sondland's an earlier statement before

lawmakers, where he said he had had "no discussions" with state department or White House
officials regarding the investigating the Bidens.
They call that a 'quid pro quo'
Text messages showed Bill Taylor had issues with the way the White House was conducting
its foreign policy toward Ukraine. On Tuesday, he told Congress why - in damning detail.
Much of Mr Taylor's opening statement corroborates other reported accounts of White House
efforts to get Ukraine to open investigations that could be damaging to Democrats, and Vice-
President Joe Biden in particular. The acting ambassador to Ukraine fleshed out the picture,
however, and added new perspective.
In one particular passage, Mr Taylor relates a conversation he had with Gordon Sondland -
one of the co-ordinators of what he said was an "irregular, informal channel of US
policymaking".
Mr Sondland, he said, told him "everything" - including military aid and a White House visit -
was dependent on the Ukrainian president making a public statement that he would order
these investigations.
In Latin they call that a "quid pro quo".
The president's defenders will try to undermine Mr Taylor's credibility, although the career
diplomat makes for a compelling witness. They may eventually assert that even if Mr Taylor's
claims are true, it's still within the president's foreign policy powers.
That will, of course, be up to members of the House - and, perhaps, senators in an

impeachment trial - to decide.
What is the impeachment inquiry about?

Three committees in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives are investigation
allegations of wrongdoing by the president.
Democrats accuse him of illegally pressuring Ukraine to dig up dirt on a political rival.
But there is a fierce debate about whether Mr Trump committed an impeachable offence - he
himself says he has done nothing wrong.
If the House finds sufficient evidence, articles of impeachment will be put to a vote. If they are
approved, proceedings will move to trial in the Senate, which is controlled by Mr Trump's
Republicans.
What's the reaction?

Democratic congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz described Mr Taylor's appearance
as "the most damning testimony I've heard".
"He drew a very specific direct line from President Trump to the withholding of foreign aid and
the refusal of a [presidential] meeting."
Fellow Democrats echoed this idea and praise Mr Taylor's "meticulous" note taking.
Congressman Tom Malinowski said it was the "most thorough" account that filled in "details
that some other witnesses, somehow, forgot".
But Republican congressman Mark Meadows, a staunch Trump ally, told reporters he did not
hear "anything that has advanced the quid pro quo or the promise of anything with foreign
aid".
"There's no-one who can be intellectually honest and come out of that deposition and suggest
otherwise."
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Trump controversially called the inquiry "a lynching" - a term referring
to historic killings by white mobs mainly against black Americans.
Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'a lynching'
During a cabinet meeting at the White House on Monday, Mr Trump said Republicans should
"get tougher and fight" impeachment proceedings.
Related Topics
Donald Trump United States Trump impeachment inquiry
Share this story About sharing
More on this story

The impeachment story explained
15 October 2019
Trump calls inquiry 'a lynching'

2 hours ago
Who's who in whistleblower story?

8 October 2019
US & Canada
Trudeau retains power in Canada but loses majority

22 October 2019 US & Canada
Why the star power of Trudeau dimmed

22 October 2019 US & Canada
WeWork rescue 'hands co-founder $1.7bn payout'

22 October 2019 Business
More Videos from the BBC

Recommended by Outbrain
The downsides of leaving Simple steps that could The ancient tombs kept
the nest too early help you live to 100 under lock and key
How powerful is the Giant king cobra caught Water bikers 'tried to
Chinese military? in Thai sewer knock men off
paddleboard'
Elsewhere on BBC
Recommended by Outbrain
BBC.com BBC Travel

Konstantin Bessmertny's Wonderland - What Japan can teach us about
Get to Know Macao cleanliness
BBC News BBC Travel

Tory delegate 'shocked' by Chinese Who really owns borsch?
journalist slap
BBC News BBC Culture

Pair jailed over 'morbid' Sala mortuary Why are the French so chic?
CCTV
From Around the Web

Promoted content by Outbrain
A Tesla Potentially Equals a CCTV System on 4 Wheels: New

Open Source Project Is Dynamite
blog.paessler.com
Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo: Taking Japanese style global

Rakuten Today
Weird Off-Grid Device Creates Dirt-cheap Electricity From

Your Backyard
trendy-gadgets.net
Here I stand, with duct tape in my hand, trying to fix an

insane series of 39 loops of a giant #Carrera racing track...
#Agility
PRTG Network Monitor
Hard Water 101: How Water Affects Your Skin And Hair
HelloKlean
The Must-Play Fantasy City Building Game this Year

Elvenar
Top Stories
Brexit bill 'in limbo' as UK MPs reject timetable
The PM's plan to fast-track a Brexit law fails, making the UK's EU exit on 31 October less
likely.
16 minutes ago
Turkey and Russia strike deal over Syria offensive

2 hours ago
US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure on Ukraine

33 minutes ago
ADVERTISEMENT
Features
Why protesters are on the streets worldwide
Why the star power of Trudeau dimmed
Are we ready for men to take the pill?
TXT: The pressure of being K-pop's 'next big thing'
How space affects women and men differently
The race to build a flying electric taxi
The ghost writers helping 'lazy' Western students
Streetwise: Capturing iconic moments of daily life
The election which could be decided by elephants and diamonds
Elsewhere on the BBC
Lyrics quiz
Have you been getting these songs wrong?
Feeling hot
What happens to your body in extreme heat?
Most Read
Brexit bill 'in limbo' as MPs reject timetable 1
EU's Tusk backs extension after Brexit bill paused 2
Breast cancer detected by thermal imaging scan in Edinburgh 3
Brexit deal: How did my MP vote on the Withdrawal Agreement 4

Bill?
Dragons' Den success story firm risks collapse 5
Trump impeachment: US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure 6

on Ukraine
Face of a Medieval man found in Aberdeen reconstructed 7
Shamima Begum: Stripping citizenship put her at risk of 8

hanging, court hears
Could there be an early general election? 9
Man charged after death of pensioner Frank Kinnis in New Elgin 10
ADVERTISEMENT
Pandora ™ O ciel
Pandora
Nouvelle collection Pandora Me :
bijoux à partir de 10€.
Puteaux
WEBSITE DIRECTIONS
Why you can trust BBC News
BBC News Services

On your mobile
On your connected tv
Get news alerts
Contact BBC News
Explore the BBC

Home News
Sport Reel
Worklife Travel
Future Culture
Music TV
Weather Sounds
Terms of Use About the BBC
Privacy Policy Cookies
Accessibility Help Parental Guidance
Contact the BBC Get Personalised Newsletters
Advertise with us Ad choices
Copyright © 2019 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our
approach to external linking.

Trump Impeachment - US Envoy Condemns 'Irregular' Pressure On Ukraine - BBC News

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Originaltitel

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Trump Impeachment - US Envoy Condemns 'Irregular' Pressure On Ukraine - BBC News

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

23/10/2019 Trump impeachment: US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure on Ukraine - BBC News

Home News Sport Reel Worklife Travel Future M

Trump impeachment: US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure on

Trump impeachment inquiry

The Trump impeachment story explained

Who's who in Trump whistleblower story?

A transcript of a call Mr Trump made to Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky on 25

What did Taylor say?

"I said on September 9 in a message to Ambassador Gordon Sondland that withholding

Mr Taylor's remarks appear to contradict Mr Sondland's an earlier statement before

They call that a 'quid pro quo'

In Latin they call that a "quid pro quo".

That will, of course, be up to members of the House - and, perhaps, senators in an

What is the impeachment inquiry about?

What's the reaction?

Trump calls impeachment inquiry 'a lynching'

Donald Trump United States Trump impeachment inquiry

Share this story About sharing

More on this story

Trump calls inquiry 'a lynching'

Who's who in whistleblower story?

Trudeau retains power in Canada but loses majority

Why the star power of Trudeau dimmed

WeWork rescue 'hands co-founder $1.7bn payout'

More Videos from the BBC

BBC.com BBC Travel

BBC News BBC Travel

BBC News BBC Culture

From Around the Web

A Tesla Potentially Equals a CCTV System on 4 Wheels: New

Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo: Taking Japanese style global

Weird Off-Grid Device Creates Dirt-cheap Electricity From

Here I stand, with duct tape in my hand, trying to ﬁx an

The Must-Play Fantasy City Building Game this Year

Turkey and Russia strike deal over Syria offensive

US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure on Ukraine

Why protesters are on the streets worldwide

Why the star power of Trudeau dimmed

Are we ready for men to take the pill?

TXT: The pressure of being K-pop's 'next big thing'

How space affects women and men differently

The race to build a ﬂying electric taxi

The ghost writers helping 'lazy' Western students

Streetwise: Capturing iconic moments of daily life

The election which could be decided by elephants and diamonds

Elsewhere on the BBC

EU's Tusk backs extension after Brexit bill paused 2

Breast cancer detected by thermal imaging scan in Edinburgh 3

Brexit deal: How did my MP vote on the Withdrawal Agreement 4

Dragons' Den success story ﬁrm risks collapse 5

Trump impeachment: US envoy condemns 'irregular' pressure 6

Face of a Medieval man found in Aberdeen reconstructed 7

Shamima Begum: Stripping citizenship put her at risk of 8

Could there be an early general election? 9

Man charged after death of pensioner Frank Kinnis in New Elgin 10

Why you can trust BBC News

BBC News Services

Get news alerts

Contact BBC News

Explore the BBC

Terms of Use About the BBC

Privacy Policy Cookies

Accessibility Help Parental Guidance