Thread by @benrileysmith

**thread**

In case you missed it back in Britain, a tranche of texts from America’s top Ukraine officials was published overnight.

They are jaw-dropping and deeply unhelpful for Trump’s fight against impeachment.

Here are the key texts...

Reminder of the context

Trump’s attempts to get Ukrainian president to investigate the Bidens has triggered impeachment.

Team Trump’s key defence line is there was no ‘quid pro quo’ of delaying almost $400m aid to Ukraine in turn for a Biden probe.

These texts qu that stance

Text exchange 1

July 19, six days before Trump and Ukrainian pres Zelensky talk (in that now infamous call)

America’s special rep for Ukraine negotiations (Volker) and EU ambassador (Sondland) chat.

Volker says most important that Zelensky says “he will help investigation

Text exchange 2

July 21, four days before Trump-Zelensky call.

Taylor (the Charge d’Affaires at US embassy in Ukraine) texts Sondland (America’s EU ambassador).

Says Ukranian president is wary of being “an instrument in Washington domestic, reelection politics”.

Text exchange 3

July 25, the morning of the Trump-Zelensky call.

Volker (special rep for Ukraine negotiations) texts Yermak (an aide to President Zelensky.)

Says if Zelensky convinces Trump he’ll investigate then a date for a US visit will be agreed.

Text exchange 4

Aug 10. Still no aid paid.

Yermak (President Zelensky’s aide) texts Volker (US special rep for Ukraine negotiations).

Says they will announce investigation into Burisma (the firm that hired Hunter Biden, Joe’s son) once a White House visit is agreed.

Text exchange 5

Aug 13. Still no aid.

Volker (the special rep) and Sondland (the EU ambassador) discuss statement for Ukraine to issue.

Statement includes investigating Burisma, the Hunter Biden company

(Remember these guys are the Americans.)

Text exchange 6

Sep 1. News of aid delay has broken. Trump has cancelled meeting with Ukranian pres.

Taylor (from US embassy in Ukraine) texts Sondland (EU ambassador).

He asks if aid and meeting are “conditioned” on investigations. (!!!)

The response? “Call me”

Text exchange 7

Sep 9. A week later. Still no aid.

Taylor (in US embassy in Ukraine) and Sondland (EU ambassador) have another more urgent, heated exchange.

Taylor says it is “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign”. (💥💥)

Sondland denies.

So what does it all mean?

It seems very clear from those texts that some US officials believed military aid was being held back to secure investigations into Biden (and 2016 election meddling).

And there is a bucket of contemporaneous evidence to back up that suggestion.

Can Republicans keep denying aid + investigations were linked with texts showing officials...

- pushed for the probes

- helped draft statement announcing them

- linked them to Tump meeting

- Said POTUS wanted them

- raised fears about holding back aid to get them

???

We’ll find out in the coming days. But feels increasingly untenable.

Read all the texts for yourself here: foreignaffairs.house.gov/_cache/files/a…

Includes more bits of Rudy Giuliani involvement.

One last thought - this has all come out from just the first interview of the impeachment inquiry. At least 4 more scheduled in with State officials. Plus who knows who else.

It is going to be a wild, unpredictable ride from here to Christmas....

(End)