For the first time, a member of the Ukrainian government has publicly commented on the whistleblower affair surrounding US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj. Foreign Minister Wadym Prystaiko defended Trump.
"I know what the phone call was about and I think there was no pressure," Prystaiko said. The conversation was long and friendly. Many topics were addressed, some of which required serious answers.
US media reported that Trump had repeatedly pressured Selenskyj on a phone call on July 25 to investigate Joe Biden and his son. Biden is presidential candidate of the Democrats and one of Trump's strongest rivals.
The telephone conversation between Trump and Selenskyj is at the center of a dispute over how the US government deals with allegations by an intelligence official. The government withheld information about the whistleblower's statements to Congress, said Democratic Chairman of the US House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff.
Trump said on Twitter on Twitter that he had done nothing wrongful. His conversation with Selenskyj was completely in order and routine.
.... story about me and a perfectly fine and routine conversation. Nothing was said that in any way wrong, but Biden's demand, on the other hand, what a complete and total disaster. The Fake News knows this but does not want to report!
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2019Joe Biden, ex-vice-president and one of Democratic's most promising candidates in the presidential election next year, is scheduled to investigate the phone call. "This seems to me to be an incredible case of abuse of power," Biden said visibly annoyed at a campaign meeting in Iowa on Saturday.
Selenskyj himself has not commented on the reports so far.
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