CNN: Kurt Volker resigns

28.09.2019 11:31

Ukrinform

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker, a consistent advocate of continued U.S. support for Ukraine and active participant in talks with the Normandy Four format representatives, has resigned.

“Kurt Volker, US special envoy to Ukraine, has resigned one day after the release of a whistleblower report alleging a coverup by the White House of a call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President, ” three sources familiar with the matter confirmed to CNN.

The U.S. State Department has not returned messages seeking comment.

Kurt Volker is mentioned at least five times in two episodes in the whistleblower report. In the first one, he appears with another diplomat, Gordon Sondland, who enjoys Trump’s high level of confidence.

“On 26 July, a day after the call, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker visited Kyiv and met with President Zelensky and a variety of Ukrainian political figures. Ambassador Volker was accompanied in his meetings by U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland,” the report reads.

It is noted further on: "Based on multiple readouts of these meetings recounted to me by various U.S. officials, Ambassadors Volker and Sondland reportedly provided advice to the Ukrainian leadership about how to "navigate" the demands that the President [Trump] had made of Mr. Zelensky."

The second episode, which mentions Kurt Volker along with Ambassador Sondland, concerns [Trump’s personal lawyer] Mr. Giuliani's circumvention of national security decisionmaking processes. In this regard, it is noted that Ambassadors Volker and Sondland had spoken with Mr. Giuliani in an attempt to "contain the damage" to U.S. national security. In addition, Ambassadors Volker and Sondland during this time period met with members of the new Ukrainian administration and, in addition to discussing policy matters, “sought to help Ukrainian leaders understand and respond to the differing messages they were receiving from official U.S. channels on the one hand, and from Mr. Giuliani on the other.”

As reported, Presidents Trump and Zelensky had a telephone conversation on July 25. In August, a whistleblower from one of the U.S. intelligence agencies filed a complaint to his leadership noting that Trump made an inadmissible offer to the President of Ukraine. In particular, Trump asked to open a criminal investigation in Ukraine against the family of Joe Biden, his major rival in the US presidential election. Trump also reached an agreement with President Zelensky that the latter would maintain contact with U.S. President’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

The declassified version of the whistleblower complaint was made public this week. Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House of Representatives would initiate a formal impeachment inquiry against President Trump, charging him with betraying his oath of office and the nation’s security.