Thread by @PaulaChertok

💥Top Diplomat in Ukraine Testifies to Direct Link Between Military Aid & Investigations. Amb Taylor described the quid pro quo “in excruciating detail”—Trump held aid & refused WH meeting til Zelensky opened investigations into Dem rivals. #Impeachment nytimes.com/2019/10/22/us/…

🔥Read Amb Taylor's opening statement. It's both gripping & heartening to see a State Dept professional lay out #Ukraine's strategic importance for the US & the world. Makes Trump exploiting U's vulnerability to #Russia particularly egregious. washingtonpost.com/context/openin… #Impeachment

Taylor set the stage for his damning testimony by explaining Ukraine's strategic importance, in 3 main points.

1. Ukraine is a strategic partner of the US, important for our national security & Europe's.
2. Ukraine is and has been under armed attack from Russia for 5 years.
…

3. US military aid is crucial to Ukraine's defense against Russia's aggression. MORE importantly—it sends a signal to Ukrainians—AND Russians—that the US is Ukraine's *reliable strategic partner.

That's why Taylor told Sondland exchanging aid for domestic pol campaign is "CRAZY"

🔥Taylor: If Ukraine succeeds in breaking free from Russian influence, it is possible for Europe to be whole, free, democratic, and at peace. In contrast, if Russia dominates Ukraine, Russia will again become an empire, oppressing its people, threatening its neighbors & the world

Taylor: With Crimea's annexation in 2014 & continued aggression in Donbas, Russia violated countless treaties, ignored commitments, dismissed all the principles that have kept the peace & contributed to prosperity since WWII. To restore Ukraine's independence, Russia must leave.

😱Finally read Taylor's stmt. He describes 2 channels: 1) official assuring support for Ukraine—key strategic ally deterring Russia, & 2) Giuliani/Trump's personal agenda undermining 1), by conditioning aid, mtg—EVERYTHING—on Zelensky's public promise to investigate Dems⁉️#Maddow

I count about 18x in Taylor's statement that Trump's shadow demands were told to Ukraine—Zelensky had to open investigations into Dems—AND ANNOUNCE IT PUBLICLY ON @CNN—before Trump would release aid or hold WH meeting. Taylor cabled his fears to Pompeo who didn't even respond.💩

@CNN Taylor's account not only shows Pompeo as a 💩willing to screw Ukraine for Trump. But Sondland appears to be a big liar (& Trump sycophant), which is about par for the course for Trump's political appointees. He was in on everything, and pushed Ukraine as much as anyone.. #Maddow

@CNN It seems extraordinary that these total sh!ts would upend 3 decades of strategically critical support for Ukraine. But when you realize that Putin attacked our election for Trump to do *exactly* this sort of destructive betrayal of US interests and allies, it all fits into place.