Hill admonished lawmakers for promoting a 'fictional narrative' that it was Ukraine – not Russia – that interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
Ukraine viewed White House meeting as 'critical' and other highlights of Fiona Hill, David Holmes testimoniesWASHINGTON – Ukrainian officials viewed a White House meeting with President Donald Trump as"critical" in their efforts to show Russia that the United States was firmly behind its East European ally, State Department aide David Holmes told lawmakers Thursday.
"A White House visit was critical to President Zelensky needed to show U.S. support at the highest levels in order to demonstrate to Russian President Putin that he had U.S. backing, as well as to advance his ambitious anti-corruption reforms at home," Holmes said."We at the embassy also believed that a meeting was critical ... and we worked hard to get it arranged."
Trump soured on helping Ukraine, in part because Giuliani portrayed Zelensky as someone “surrounded by enemies" of Trump, Holmes testified.Hill admonished lawmakers for promoting a"fictional narrative" that it was Ukraine – not Russia – that interfered in the 2016 presidential election. "Some of you on this committee appear to believe that Russia and its security services did not conduct a campaign against our country – and that perhaps, somehow, for some reason, Ukraine did," Hill said without calling out specific lawmakers."This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves."
In early May, shortly after Zelensky won the election, Giuliani publicly alleged the incoming president was “surrounded by enemies" of Trump. Within days, Vice President Mike Pence canceled plans to attend Zelensky's inauguration.
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