Ukraine lawmaker met Giuliani in Ukraine
As President Donald trump faces an impeachment inquiry for his dealing with Ukraine, his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani was in Ukraine on Thursday.
Andriy Derkach, an independent Ukrainian lawmaker, said on Facebook that he had met with Rudy Giuliani in Kiev to discuss the alleged misuse of U.S. taxpayer money by Ukrainian state bodies.
Derkach has previously disseminated information about Hunter Biden and Burisma that Giuliani has cited as evidence in his criticisms of the Biden family.
Trump stands accused by House democrats of abusing his power by pushing Ukraine to investigate his political rival. The U.S. president and his allies argue that he’s just interested in fighting corruption in Ukraine.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE EU GORDON SONDLAND, SAYING:
“We did not want to work with Mr. Giuliani.”
Giuliani’s role in Ukraine came up repeatedly in the impeachment hearings, and was portrayed by diplomats as running a shadow diplomacy to help his client by digging up dirt on Joe Biden.
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) U.S. UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS DAVID HALE, SAYING:
“I became aware that Mr. Giuliani, a private lawyer, was taking a direct role in Ukrainian diplomacy.”
SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE OVERSEEING EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS GEORGE KENT, SAYING:
“Giuliani’s efforts to gin up politically motivated investigations were now infecting U.S. engagement with Ukraine.”
As first reported by the New York Times, Giuliani has traveled to Budapest and Kiev this week to meet current and former Ukrainian officials for a documentary series amid the ongoing impeachment inquiry.
The meetings also include a former top prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, who himself has been accused of corruption.
