Trump was told Ukraine president would do ‘anything you ask him to’, diplomat claims
Ambassador Gordon Sondland told the president that Volodymyr Zelensky 'loves your ass', according to testimony
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A diplomat says he overheard a phone conversation in a restaurant in which a senior US ambassador told Donald Trump that the Ukrainian president would do "anything."
According to David Holmes' recently released statement to Congress, he also overheard Ambassador Gordon Sondland tell Mr Trump that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky "loves your ass."
Mr Trump then asked Mr Sondland: "So, he's gonna do the investigation?"
Mr Sondland then said that Mr Zelensky will "do anything you ask for."
According to Mr Holmes' 10-page opening statement to Congress in the president's impeachment hearings obtained by CNN, Mr Holmes and two unnamed staffers were eating lunch with Mr Sondland in Ukraine when Mr Sondland was on the phone with Mr Trump.
Mr Trump reportedly spoke so loud that Mr Holmes had to keep the phone away from his face, and Mr Holmes was able to hear what the president said.
Mr Holmes is a counsellor for political affairs at the US embassy in Kiev.
Mr Trump has said he "hardly" knows Mr Sondland and that he doesn't "recall" conversations with him.
During the lunch in Kiev, Mr Holmes says Mr Sondland told him the president does not "give a s*** about Ukraine" and that he only cares about "big stuff" that "benefits the president" including "the Biden investigation", Mr Trump's alleged request for Ukraine to pursue a probe into Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who sat on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
Mr Holmes says that the president's attorney Rudy Giuliani was "pushing" for that investigation.
According to Mr Holmes, Mr Giuliani "was taking a direct role in Ukrainian diplomacy" and Mr Sondland said that "every time Rudy gets involved he goes and f**** everything up."
A visit to the White House was "critical" to Mr Zelensky, Mr Holmes says, for him to demonstrate both US support for his "ambitious anti-corruption agenda" in Ukraine and for Russian President Vladimir Putin to take Mr Zelensky's peace efforts seriously. Mr Trump has reportedly made a White House visit conditional on Mr Zelensky's public statement of an investigation into the Bidens.
Mr Holmes says he decided to come forward with his own first-hand account after other witness testimonies have been declared "hearsay" by the president's allies.
His testimony underlines the fragility of Ukraine and the emergence of a "genuine and vibrant democracy" among post-Soviet countries amid White House pressures.
Mr Holmes' testimony on late Friday arrives after former Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch appeared in a televised impeachment hearing, after which she received a standing ovation following her damning portrait of a “smear campaign” against her led by Mr Giuliani.
As she made her appearance on Capitol Hill, the president wrote a tweet in an attempt to discredit Ms Yovanovitch.
Democrats accused Mr Trump of witness intimidation.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments