Thread by @georgikantchev

THREAD: We spent days in Kyiv reporting on how the Ukrainian president and his team struggled to respond to growing pressure from the White House, getting a crash course in U.S. politics along the way.
Here's what we found: wsj.com/articles/in-mo…

2/ A former TV comic, Zelensky’s difficulties were magnified by his lack of familiarity with U.S. politics. After becoming a front-runner, Zelensky had to be tutored on the function of institutions like the World Bank and the IMF, one of the country’s biggest backers.

3/ Shortly after winning the election in April, Zelensky got word that Rudy Giuliani wanted to come to Kyiv. Initially, Zelensky initially didn’t even know who Giuliani was. Fearful of getting sucked into a U.S. drama when he had plenty at home, he declined to take the meeting.

4/ A key goal for Zelensky was clinching a White House with Trump. The U.S. side was dangling the prospect for weeks. Zelensky' team was hoping for June or July. But green light from Washington wasn't coming.
“Zelensky was a bit offended; he was asking, Why is it not happening?”

5/ Ahead of the Trump call, Kurt Volker told them that help for Mr. Giuliani’s quest for dirt would get them the meeting.
"Assuming President Z convinces Trump he will investigate/”get to the bottom of what happened” in 2016, we will nail down date for visit to Washington”

6/ On the Ukrainian side, advisers weighed in on how to handle Trump and his ego during the call. One official suggested Zelensky tell Trump that he is draining the swamp in Ukraine. Zelensky mentioned he stayed “at the Trump Tower” and promised to talk to Mr. Giuliani.

7/ When the Ukrainian leader hung up the phone, many of those huddled around him were jubilant. One flashed a thumbs up.
“Phone call went well,” top aide Yermak texted Volker. Shortly after, the two met in Madrid.

8/ But a month later, they were stunned to hear about blocked aid. They frantically called contacts in the State Dept and the Pentagon. Some wondered if there was a technical holdup. Others feared it was Trump's decision.
“It was a very sensitive, painful decision for Ukraine."

9/ The revelations about the July phone call and the release of a rough transcript by the White House also caught Zelensky and his team by surprise. Zelensky thought only Mr. Trump’s side of their call would be published.

10/ “Now, they are confused, don’t want to take sides,” said an adviser to Zelensky’s administration. “They are asking everybody what to do.”

The full story, including texts and inside-the-room details, is here: wsj.com/articles/in-mo…