That means the Ukrainian government was aware of the freeze during most of August, when President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and two American diplomats were pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to make a public announcement committing to the investigations sought by the president, the newspaper reported.
Breaking News: Ukraine officials knew about the U.S. aid freeze before it became public, according to interviews and documents obtained by The New York Times, contradicting a key argument in President Trump's impeachment defense https://t.co/u70LE9AdNw
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 23, 2019
Earlier, Trump went on Twitter to quote Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, who said William B. Taylor Jr., the top United States diplomat in Ukraine -- or any other witness -- had "provided testimony that the Ukrainians were aware that military aid was being withheld."
Neither he (Taylor) or any other witness has provided testimony that the Ukrainians were aware that military aid was being withheld. You can’t have a quid pro quo with no quo.” Congressman John Ratcliffe @foxandfriends Where is the Whistleblower? The Do Nothing Dems case is DEAD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2019
However, information about the freeze had reached high-level officials in Ukraine by the first week of August, the Times reported.
Ukrainian officials were told that to address that information, they should reach out to Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, the Times reported.
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