Ukraine Knew of Aid Freeze in July, Says Ex-Top Official in Kyiv
Confirmation from witnesses in the Ukraine:
KYIV, Ukraine — As deputy foreign minister, it was Olena Zerkal’s job to read incoming diplomatic cables from embassies around the world. One from Washington caught her eye back in July, she recalled: It said the Trump administration had frozen military aid for Ukraine.
“We had this information,” Ms. Zerkal said in an interview. “It was definitely mentioned there were some issues.”
The timing of when Ukraine knew of the hold on the military aid is a critical question in the impeachment hearings in Congress. Democrats are trying to build a case that President Trump pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky by withholding the aid and a White House meeting — at the same time he was pressing for a public announcement that Ukraine would investigate his political rivals.