U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Testifies Trump Withheld Financial Support to Ukraine Pending Investigation into Hunter Biden and 2016 Election Interference

Former United States Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor testified today before the House of Representatives Committees leading the impeachment inquiry against President Trump. In his opening statement, the former Ambassador to Ukraine stated that President Trump withheld “security assistance” to Ukraine unless “President Zelenskyy [would] state publicly that Ukraine will investigate [Hunter Biden] and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.”

The Former Ambassador’s testimony lays out a sequence of events, saying by mid-July he learned “there was a hold on security assistance to Ukraine”. Then, Tim Morrison, an advisor to the President on the National Security Council, told him “Ambassador Sondland (U.S. Ambassador to the E.U.) told [a top adivsor to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy] that the security assistance money would not come until President Zelenskyy committed to pursue the [Hunter Biden] investigation.” Ambassador Taylor says he then confirmed this with Ambassador Sondland, who told him “that President Trump had told him that he wants President Zelenskyy to state publicly that Ukraine will investigate [Biden] and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. election.” Ambassador Sonland told Ambassador Taylor “security assistance” “was dependent on such an announcement”.

Taylor says he “learned on September 11 that the hold had been lifted and that the security assistance would be provided.” He also confirmed “that President Zelenskyy was not planning to give such an interview to the media.”