'There was no blackmail': Volodymyr Zelensky weighs in on impeachment discussion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says there was no blackmail in a phone call with US President Donald Trump in July.

Donald Trump meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN

Donald Trump meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Source: AP

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said US President Donald Trump did not seek to blackmail him during a phone call in July or a meeting in September.

Mr Zelensky said he had not known that US military aid to Ukraine had been blocked at the time of the call.

Having been made aware of this by his defence minister later, he raised the issue during a separate meeting in September in Poland with Vice President Mike Pence.

The US House of Representatives has launched an impeachment inquiry against Mr Trump, focused on whether he used congressionally approved aid to Ukraine as leverage to pressure Mr Zelensky to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.

Mr Biden is one of Mr Trump's main Democratic rivals as he seeks re-election in 2020.

Mr Trump has made allegations, without evidence, that Mr Biden engaged in improper dealings in Ukraine.

Mr Biden's son Hunter was on the board of Ukrainian gas company Burisma.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. Source: AP
Mr Zelensky told reporters that his aim in having a phone call with Mr Trump was to arrange a subsequent meeting and that he had asked the White House to change its rhetoric on Ukraine.

"There was no blackmail. This was not the subject of our conversation," Mr Zelensky said.

Mr Zelensky said there were no conditions attached to him meeting Mr Trump, including whether he should investigate the activities of Hunter at Burisma.

The White House published its summary of the call between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump in September.

Asked whether the Ukrainian version matched up to the US one, Mr Zelensky said: "I didn't even check, but I think that it matches completely."


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