In a video of his 2018 comments at a panel for the Council on Foreign Relations, Biden seemingly admitted to withholding military aid to Ukraine as a pressure tactic to force the firing of a prosecutor he did not like. Biden’s comments may see new scrutiny amid whistleblower allegations Trump improperly called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden.
"On Tuesday, Trump repeated denials of allegations he withheld $391 million in military aid during a July call with his Ukrainian counterpart to elicit an investigation of Biden. Trump instead claimed the funds were only paused out of unspecified concerns of corruption in the Ukraine and concerns other European allies weren’t also helping Ukraine. He added that the funds were eventually paid in full and he made no effort to pressure the Ukrainian president. .
"The specific allegations of Trump’s alleged pressuring techniques may follow corruption allegations against Biden himself. In Biden’s 2018 comments before the CFR panel, the former Vice President appeared to admit to withholding a $1 billion loan agreement for Ukraine while carrying out a 2016 diplomatic visit on behalf of then-President Barrack Obama.
"In his panel comments, Biden appeared to suggest he withheld a $1 billion loan guarantee for Ukraine unless Ukrainian government officials agreed to fire a prosecutor investigating the Ukrainian gas company, Burisma Holdings.
"Biden said he received a commitment prior to a Ukraine visit, but upon arrival, he learned the prosecutor was still in place. In his comments before the CFR panel, he said he would not release the funding measure unless Ukrainian government officials acted immediately on the matter.
“ 'I said we’re not going to give you the billion dollars. They said ‘you can’t do that, you have no authority, you’re not the president,'” Biden remarked. “I said call [President Obama], I told you you’re not getting a billion dollars.” . . .
"The specific allegations of Trump’s alleged pressuring techniques may follow corruption allegations against Biden himself. In Biden’s 2018 comments before the CFR panel, the former Vice President appeared to admit to withholding a $1 billion loan agreement for Ukraine while carrying out a 2016 diplomatic visit on behalf of then-President Barrack Obama.
"In his panel comments, Biden appeared to suggest he withheld a $1 billion loan guarantee for Ukraine unless Ukrainian government officials agreed to fire a prosecutor investigating the Ukrainian gas company, Burisma Holdings.
"Biden said he received a commitment prior to a Ukraine visit, but upon arrival, he learned the prosecutor was still in place. In his comments before the CFR panel, he said he would not release the funding measure unless Ukrainian government officials acted immediately on the matter.
“ 'I said we’re not going to give you the billion dollars. They said ‘you can’t do that, you have no authority, you’re not the president,'” Biden remarked. “I said call [President Obama], I told you you’re not getting a billion dollars.” . . .
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