https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2019/10/Vindmanstatementfinal.pdfVidman's opening statement
Opening Statement of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander S. Vindman
Before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform
October 29, 2019
Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member, thank you for the opportunity to address the
Committees concerning the activities relating to Ukraine and my role in the events
under investigation.
Background
I have dedicated my entire professional life to the United States of America. For
more than two decades, it has been my honor to serve as an officer in the United
States Army. As an infantry officer, I served multiple overseas tours, including
South Korea and Germany, and a deployment to Iraq for combat operations. In
Iraq, I was wounded in an IED attack and awarded a Purple Heart.
Since 2008, I have been a Foreign Area Officer specializing in Eurasia. In this role, I
have served in the United States’ embassies in Kiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia.
In Washington, D.C., I was a politico-military affairs officer for Russia for the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs where I authored the principle strategy for managing
competition with Russia. In July 2018, I was asked to serve at the National Security
Council.
The privilege of serving my country is not only rooted in my military service, but
also in my personal history. I sit here, as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States
Army, an immigrant. My family fled the Soviet Union when I was three and a half
years old. Upon arriving in New York City in 1979, my father worked multiple jobs
to support us, all the while learning English at night. He stressed to us the
importance of fully integrating into our adopted country. For many years, life was
quite difficult. In spite of our challenging beginnings, my family worked to build its
own American dream. I have a deep appreciation for American values and ideals
and the power of freedom. I am a patriot, and it is my sacred duty and honor to
advance and defend OUR country, irrespective of party or politics.
For over twenty years as an active duty United States military officer and diplomat,
I have served this country in a nonpartisan manner, and have done so with the
utmost respect and professionalism for both Republican and Democratic
administrations.
Introduction
Before recounting my recollection of various events under investigation, I want to
clarify a few issues. I am appearing today voluntarily pursuant to a subpoena and
will answer all questions to the best of my recollection.
I want the Committees to know I am not the whistleblower who brought this issue
to the CIA and the Committees’ attention. I do not know who the whistleblower is
and I would not feel comfortable to speculate as to the identity of the
whistleblower.
Also, as I will detail herein, I did convey certain concerns internally to National
Security officials in accordance with my decades of experience and training, sense
of duty, and obligation to operate within the chain of command. As an active duty
military officer, the command structure is extremely important to me. On many
occasions I have been told I should express my views and share my concerns with
my chain of command and proper authorities. I believe that any good military
officer should and would do the same, thus providing his or her best advice to
leadership.
Furthermore, in performing my coordination role as a Director on the National
Security Council, I provided readouts of relevant meetings and communications to
a very small group of properly cleared national security counterparts with a
relevant need-to-know.
My Service on the National Security Council
When I joined the White House’s National Security Council (“NSCâ€), I reported to
Dr. Fiona Hill, who in turn reported to John Bolton, the National Security Advisor.
My role at the NSC includes developing, coordinating, and executing plans and
policies to manage the full range of diplomatic, informational, military, and
economic national security issues for the countries in my portfolio, which includes
Ukraine.
In my position, I coordinate with a superb cohort of inter-agency partners. I
regularly prepare internal memoranda, talking points, and other materials for the
National Security Advisor and senior staff.
Most of my interactions relate to national security issues and are therefore
especially sensitive. I would urge the Committees to carefully balance the need for
information against the impact that disclosure would have on our foreign policy
and national security.
I have never had direct contact or communications with the President.
The Geopolitical Importance of Ukraine
Since 2008, Russia has manifested an overtly aggressive foreign policy, leveraging
military power and employing hybrid warfare to achieve its objectives of regional
hegemony and global influence. Absent a deterrent to dissuade Russia from such
aggression, there is an increased risk of further confrontations with the West. In
this situation, a strong and independent Ukraine is critical to U.S. national security
interests because Ukraine is a frontline state and a bulwark against Russian
aggression.
In spite of being under assault from Russia for more than five years, Ukraine has
taken major steps towards integrating with the West. The U.S. government policy
community’s view is that the election of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the
promise of reforms to eliminate corruption will lock in Ukraine’s Western-leaning
trajectory, and allow Ukraine to realize its dream of a vibrant democracy and
economic prosperity.
Given this perspective and my commitment to advancing our government’s
strategic interests, I will now recount several events that occurred.
Relevant Events
When I joined the NSC in July 2018, I began implementing the administration’s
policy on Ukraine. In the Spring of 2019, I became aware of outside influencers
promoting a false narrative of Ukraine inconsistent with the consensus views of the
interagency. This narrative was harmful to U.S. government policy. While my
interagency colleagues and I were becoming increasingly optimistic on Ukraine’s
prospects, this alternative narrative undermined U.S. government efforts to
expand cooperation with Ukraine.
April 21, 2019: President Trump Calls Ukraine President Zelenskyy
On April 21, 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected President of Ukraine in a
landslide victory. President Zelenskyy was seen as a unifying figure within the
country. He was the first candidate to win a majority in every region of the country,
breaking the claims that Ukraine would be subject to a perpetual divide between
the Ukrainian- and Russian-speaking populations. President Zelenskyy ran on a
platform of unity, reform, and anti-corruption, which resonated with the entire
country.
In support of U.S. policy objectives to support Ukrainian sovereignty, President
Trump called President Zelenskyy on April 21, 2019. I was one of several staff and
officers who listened to the call. The call was positive, and President Trump
expressed his desire to work with President Zelenskyy and extended an invitation
to visit the White House.
May 21, 2019: Inauguration Delegation Goes to Ukraine
On May 21, 2019, I was directed by Ambassador Bolton and Dr. Hill to join the
delegation attending President Zelenkskyy’s inauguration. When the delegation
returned, they provided a debriefing to President Trump and explained their
positive assessment of President Zelenskyy and his team. I did not participate in
the debriefing.
Oleksandr Danylyuk Visit – July 10, 2019
On July 10, 2019, Oleksandr Danylyuk, the Secretary of the National Security and
Defense Council for Ukraine, visited Washington, D.C. for a meeting with National
Security Advisor Bolton. Ambassadors Volker and Sondland also attended, along
with Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
The meeting proceeded well until the Ukrainians broached the subject of a meeting
between the two presidents. The Ukrainians saw this meeting as critically
important in order to solidify the support of their most important international
partner. Amb. Sondland started to speak about Ukraine delivering specific
investigations in order to secure the meeting with the President, at which time
Ambassador Bolton cut the meeting short.
Following this meeting, there was a scheduled debriefing during which Amb.
Sondland emphasized the importance that Ukraine deliver the investigations into
the 2016 election, the Bidens, and Burisma. I stated to Amb. Sondland that his
statements were inappropriate, that the request to investigate Biden and his son
had nothing to do with national security, and that such investigations were not
something the NSC was going to get involved in or push. Dr. Hill then entered the
room and asserted to Amb. Sondland that his statements were inappropriate.
Following the debriefing meeting, I reported my concerns to the NSC’s lead
counsel. Dr. Hill also reported the incident to the NSC’s lead counsel.Election Call – July 25, 2019
On July 21, 2019, President Zelenskyy’s party won Parliamentary elections in a
landslide victory. The NSC proposed that President Trump call President Zelenskyy
to congratulate him.
On July 25, 2019, the call occurred. I listened in on the call in the Situation Room
with colleagues from the NSC and the office of the Vice President. As the transcript
is in the public record, we are all aware of what was said.
I was concerned by the call. I did not think it was proper to demand that a foreign
government investigate a U.S. citizen, and I was worried about the implications for
the U.S. government’s support of Ukraine. I realized that if Ukraine pursued an
investigation into the Bidens and Burisma, it would likely be interpreted as a
partisan play which would undoubtedly result in Ukraine losing the bipartisan
support it has thus far maintained. This would all undermine U.S. national security.
Following the call, I again reported my concerns to NSC’s lead counsel.
Conclusion
The United States and Ukraine are and must remain strategic partners, working
together to realize the shared vision of a stable, prosperous, and democratic
Ukraine that is integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community. Our partnership is
rooted in the idea that free citizens should be able to exercise their democratic
rights, choose their own destiny, and live in peace.
It has been a great honor to serve the American people and a privilege to work in
the White House and on the National Security Council. I hope to continue to serve
and advance America’s national security interests.
Thank you again for your consideration, and now I would be happy to answer your
questions.
