Published 20:26 IST, October 5th 2019
US: Mike Pompeo defends Trump administration during impeachment row
The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo defended President Trump's administration and its approach towards Ukraine, the centre of the impeachment inquiry
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The United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo on October 5, defended President Trump's administration and its approach towards Ukraine which has acted as the base of an ongoing official Impeachment inquiry. Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump and his controversial phone call with the Ukranian President, Volodymyr Zelensky and his discussion about former Vice President, Joe Biden's son. Pompeo rejected all the allegations of abuse of power by the US leader.
Mike Pompeo's stance
Mike Pompeo also maintained the stance that the US was seeking information about Ukraine's government involvement and interference in the US presidential elections of 2016. He did not speak about the President's desire to initiate the investigation on Biden's son, Hunter, after the complaint by a whistleblower which was made public last week. Pompeo also called the inquiry as “clearly political” and also criticized the impeachment. Moreover, he said the State Department is entirely aimed at enhancing relations with the new government of Ukraine that came into office this spring. He also said the former special envoy to Ukraine, Kurt Volker was also based on the direction of the President.
“The State Department was very focused, at the direction of the president, on creating space where we could ultimately deliver a good relationship with this government,” Pompeo said. “Ambassador Volker worked diligently to create that opportunity.”
Messages exchanged among officials
Volker was also interviewed by the investigators of Congress on October 4, and he handed over the messages between himself and other officials. The messages revealed their pressure to get Ukraine to agree to the investigation into the energy company that Hunter Biden worked in and the interference of the 2016 elections. In exchange for the proposed investigation, American officials dangled the offer of a meeting with Trump in Washington for Ukraine's president. Pompeo also informed that the administration had an obligation to investigate the alleged election interference and asking the foreign government for assistance if needed.
“The administration was incredibly focused on making sure that we worked with Ukraine in a way that was appropriate. It is not only appropriate, it is our duty if we think there was interference in the election of 2016,” he said. “I think everyone recognizes that governments have an obligation, indeed a duty, to ensure that elections happen with integrity, without interference.”
(With AP inputs)
20:03 IST, October 5th 2019