Ukrainian leaders feel trapped between warring Washington factions
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Source: WAPO-EUROPE
By Michael Birnbaum and David L. Stern September 21, 2019 at 9:32 p.m. EDT
KIEV, Ukraine Ukrainian leaders are trapped in the middle of a very Washington firefight, facing mounting pressure from President Trump and his allies to investigate the son of political rival Joe Biden, and are searching for a way to escape.
They could give in to Trumps demand to open an inquiry into the Ukrainian business dealings of Hunter Biden and risk the anger of Democrats and others for engaging in what those interests would see as interference in the 2020 elections. Or the Ukrainians could defy Trump and face the wrath of a president who had frozen $250 million of crucial military assistance for mysterious reasons before releasing it earlier this month.
Either way, they risk cracking the bipartisan consensus that has firmly supported Ukraine against Russia since 2014, when the Kremlin annexed Ukraines Crimea region and stoked war in Ukraines east. If Ukraine becomes associated with one U.S. political party or the other, it could jeopardize ties with its most important security backer.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ukrainian-leaders-feel-trapped-between-warring-washington-factions/2019/09/21/f0ff90ac-dbf1-11e9-a1a5-162b8a9c9ca2_story.html
global1
(26,507 posts)They are not risking anything. The pressure is off on them because the whistleblower blew this out in the open. Trump is the one that should be feeling the pressure - not the Ukrainians. They are not under the gun anymore. They don't have to give into Trump's demand - as they know and we know that Trump was asking them to find dirt where no dirt exists - and further - Trump released the $250 million in military assistance - because he feared he'd be exposed on the extortion.
BumRushDaShow
(169,490 posts)BigmanPigman
(55,114 posts)I read it twice, thinking I must have missed something since it doesn't make sense.
KPN
(17,368 posts)Omaha Steve
(109,160 posts)Analysis.
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