US Ambassador Sondland says Trump directed officials to work with Giuliani on Ukraine
By Olivia Beavers - 10/17/19 09:57 AM EDT
U.S. diplomat Gordon Sondland will tell House lawmakers on Thursday that President Trump directed administration officials to work with his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, on Ukraine matters, according to his prepared remarks for testimony as part of the Democrats' impeachment inquiry.
The U.S. ambassador to the European Union offers a forceful rebuke as he seeks to distance himself from Trump and Giuliani's efforts to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate one of the president's top 2020 political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden.
"We were also disappointed by the President’s direction that we involve Mr. Giuliani. Our view was that the men and women of the State Department, not the President’s personal lawyer, should take responsibility for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine," he will say, according to a copy of his opening statement obtained by The Hill.
"However, based on the President’s direction, we were faced with a choice: We could abandon the goal of a White House meeting for President Zelensky, which we all believed was crucial to strengthening U.S.-Ukrainian ties and furthering long-held U.S. foreign policy goals in the region; or we could do as President Trump directed and talk to Mr. Giuliani to address the President’s concerns," his remarks continue.
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https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/466250-diplomat-sondland-to-say-trump-directed-officials-to-work-with
