Trump administration restores trade privileges for Ukraine

Associated Press
President Donald Trump speaks at the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at Benedict College, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is restoring some trade privileges for Ukraine after the eastern European nation passed legislation to protect intellectual property rights.

President Donald Trump partially suspended Ukraine's trade privileges in December 2017, citing failure by the nation to protect intellectual property rights.

The administration says legislation passed by Ukraine 2018 addresses the concerns, despite some shortcomings.

Trump's efforts to pressure the government of Ukraine to commit to investigate his Democratic political opponents are the focus of a House-led impeachment inquiry into the president.

The administration's Friday night announcement that some of Ukraine's trade privileges will be restored follows a Washington Post report Thursday that the reinstatement had been delayed because Trump was withholding nearly $400 million in military and other assistance from Ukraine to secure an investigation.