Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not get the information why the Trump administration delayed $250 million in military aid to the country, he said on Tuesday, Fox News informed.
“It wasn’t explained to me,” Zelensky said about the withholding of the support from July until Sept. 11. Trump has cited corruption in Ukraine as one of the reasons the U.S. held back the funds.
Zelensky pushed back against allegations that Trump used military aid as leverage during the leaders’ July 25 call. Trump has been accused of being part in an alleged quid pro quo scheme, where he requested Ukrainian officials to probe leading presidential campaign rival Joe Biden, Biden’s son Hunter and their business dealings in the country. The accusations have sparked an impeachment inquiry into Trump.
“It is impossible to put pressure on me,” Zelensky said on Tuesday, addressing the allegations. “Many people try to influence me, [but] I am the president of independent Ukraine.”
Zelensky said during a bilateral meeting with Trump at the United Nations General Assembly last week that their call was “great” and “normal,” and that “nobody pushed me.”
Trump has rejected claims he tried to use the frozen military aid as leverage, calling his call with Zelensky “perfect” and a “no-pressure” conversation. He has condemned Democrat’s impeachment probe calling it “another witch hunt.”
House Democrats initiated an impeachment inquiry into Trump over the allegations following a whistleblower complaint that accused Trump of “using power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”
Democrats have subpoenaed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, State Department officials and Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani as part of their impeachment investigation.
Trump on Tuesday night said that what is taking place is “not an impeachment, it is a coup.”
It is “intended to take away the power of the people, their vote, their freedoms, their Second Amendment, religion, military, border wall and their God-given rights at a citizen of the United States of America,” he tweeted.
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