Bill Taylor told investigators that National Security Advisor John Bolton suggested he take the unusual step of sending a first-person cable to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo describing his concerns about the handling of U.S. policy toward Ukraine.
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Taylor said he sent a cable “describing the folly I saw in withholding military aid to Ukraine at a time when hostilities were still active in the east and when Russia was watching closely to gauge the level of American support for the Ukrainian government.”
Bolton “indicated that he was very sympathetic,” Taylor said.
During a meeting on May 23, 2019, President Trump made clear to those in the “irregular
channel” that, in order for President Zelensky to get an Oval Office meeting, “they needed
to work with Rudy Giuliani.”
channel” that, in order for President Zelensky to get an Oval Office meeting, “they needed
to work with Rudy Giuliani.”
Rudy Giuliani told Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko that Zelensky’s call with Trump was unlikely to happen. "Giuliani and Lutsenko talked a lot," Taylor said.
Bolton abruptly ended a meeting with Ukrainian officials
on July 10, 2019, after Sondland raised the issue of “investigations" with the officials -- which “triggered
Ambassador Bolton’s antenna, political antenna, and he said, we don’t do politics here," Taylor recalled.
on July 10, 2019, after Sondland raised the issue of “investigations" with the officials -- which “triggered
Ambassador Bolton’s antenna, political antenna, and he said, we don’t do politics here," Taylor recalled.
It was “well-known” within the State Department, Taylor said, that Sondland, Perry, and Volker were directed “to do something with regard to Ukraine policy” at their meeting with Trump on May 23, 2019.
On July 18, 2019 Taylor and others “sat in astonishment” as an OMB official revealed during an inter-agency call that Trump put a hold on military assistance to Ukraine.
"Ambassador Sondland told me that President Trump had told him that he wants President Zelensky to state publicly that Ukraine will investigate Burisma and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 U.S. election." - Bill Taylor
President Trump insisted on a September 7th call with Ambassador Sondland that the President of Ukraine 'go to a microphone and say he is opening investigations of Biden and 2016 election interference.'" -- Bill Taylor
Ambassador Sondland and Ambassador Volker understood that “if President Trump was going to sign the check for military assistance,” the Ukrainians “needed to pay up first and that pay-up was a public declaration of these two political investigations.” -- Bill Taylor
