A U.S. diplomat texted Ukraine a script for their president to say about the Biden investigation


More revelations pertaining to the congressional impeachment inquiry flowed Tuesday after House committees released two more transcripts of testimony from U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and Kurt Volker, the former special representative to Ukraine.
Volker also supplied text messages to House investigators, which included an exchange he had with Andrey Yermak, one of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's top aides. In the message, Volker sent Yermak what was more or less a script of what Washington wanted Zelensky to publicly announce about Kyiv's investigations into both the gas company Burisma — where former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter once served on the board — for corruption and Ukrainian politicians for interfering in U.S. politics and the 2016 presidential election.
Volker's message says nothing about military aid being withheld in exchange for launching investigations and, therefore, doesn't bring to light any specific quid pro quo, but it does highlight the Trump administration's commitment to convincing Kyiv to get the probe going. Tim O'Donnell
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing line
Speed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein files
speed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checks
Speed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for Arizona
Speed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'
Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months