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U.S. National Security Official Tells Impeachment Hearing Ukraine Offered Him Defense Minister Position

By Todd Prince November 19, 2019

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. National Security Council's expert for Ukraine has told a Democratic-led House impeachment hearing he was offered the position of Ukraine's defense minister three times, a revelation that Republicans could seize on to cast doubt about his testimony.

Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Vindman, who was born in the Soviet republic of Ukraine, told the hearing that then-Ukraine national-security chief Oleksandr Danylyuk asked if he wanted the Defense Ministry position when he visited Kyiv as part of the U.S. delegation attending President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's inauguration.

"Every single time I dismissed it. Upon returning, I notified my chain of command and the appropriate counterintelligence folks about the offer," he said, adding: "I am an American. I came here when I was a toddler and I immediately dismissed these offers. I did not entertain them. I did not leave the door open at all."

Vindman is a key witness in the impeachment hearing into whether U.S. President Donald Trump abused his position of office and tried to tie military aid for Ukraine to Zelenskiy's announcement of an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Trump in 2020.

Vindman informed White House lawyers that Trump's call with Zelenskiy on July 25 -- which is at the heart of the impeachment hearing -- was inappropriate.

Allies of Trump have sought to question the loyalty of Vindman, a decorated veteran who emigrated from Soviet Ukraine to the United States when he was a child.

Prior to asking Vindman about Danylyuk's offer, the Republican counsel questioned Vindman about whether his superiors were concerned about his access to information and judgement on Ukraine policy, to which he replied "no."

However, Vindman indicated he was surprised he was not invited to travel with Vice President Mike Pence to Warsaw in September to meet with Zelenskiy and was not involved in phone calls between his boss, Tim Morrison, and William Taylor, the U.S. charge d'affaires to Ukraine.

"Certainly, it was concerning" because Taylor "wasn't steeped" in all Ukraine issues, he said about not being part of the calls. "I thought I could contribute to the performance of his duties."

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/vindman-u-s- national-security-official-impeachment-ukraine- defense-minister/30281033.html

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U.S. National Security Official Tells Impeachment Hearing Ukraine Offered Him Defense Minister Position