Donald Trump’s Demand to Zelensky: The Ukraine Scandal and Military Aid

After former President Donald Trump pushed military aid to Ukraine, he made some demands on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his presidency, particularly in the context of the 2019 impeachment scandal. The most notable demand was centered around investigating Joe Biden, who was a political rival at the time. Here’s what transpired:

1. The Demand for an Investigation into Joe Biden

• Trump’s Request: During a phone call in July 2019, Trump asked Zelensky to launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, related to their dealings in Ukraine. Hunter Biden had served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company, Burisma, and Trump suggested that there could be corruption involved, though no wrongdoing was found.
• Reason for Demand: Trump alleged that Joe Biden had pressured Ukraine to fire a prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Burisma, to protect his son. Trump wanted Zelensky to publicly announce an investigation into this.

2. Military Aid as Leverage

• At the time, Trump withheld approximately $400 million in military aid to Ukraine. The aid was intended to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression, but Trump delayed it while asking Zelensky to announce an investigation into Biden and his son.
• This delay in military aid became a key element of the impeachment inquiry. Trump was accused of using the promise of aid as leverage to get Zelensky to make a political favor in the form of the investigation.

3. The Impeachment Scandal

• The phone call and Trump’s demand led to a formal impeachment inquiry by the U.S. House of Representatives. In December 2019, Trump was impeached on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to the Ukraine scandal. The Senate, however, acquitted him in February 2020.

4. Zelensky's Response

• Zelensky initially did not directly agree to the demand but expressed willingness to cooperate with any investigations that were legitimate under Ukrainian law. He also insisted that Ukraine would not be used as a pawn in U.S. domestic politics.
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FAQs: Donald Trump's Demand to Zelensky and Military Aid to Ukraine

1. What was Donald Trump’s demand to President Zelensky of Ukraine?

Trump demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launch an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, regarding their activities in Ukraine, particularly related to Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. Trump withheld military aid to Ukraine as leverage for this request.

2. Why did Trump withhold military aid to Ukraine?

Trump withheld approximately $400 million in military aid to Ukraine to pressure President Zelensky into publicly announcing an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, who was involved with a Ukrainian company. The aid was meant to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.

3. What was the phone call between Trump and Zelensky about?

In July 2019, Trump had a phone call with Zelensky, where he asked him to investigate Joe Biden's involvement with Burisma and also urged Zelensky to announce the investigation publicly. This phone call was later at the center of a scandal and contributed to Trump’s impeachment inquiry.

4. Did President Zelensky agree to Trump’s demands?

Zelensky did not directly agree to Trump’s demand. He expressed a willingness to cooperate with any legitimate investigations but emphasized that Ukraine would not be used as a tool in U.S. domestic politics.

5. What was the outcome of Trump’s actions regarding Ukraine?

Trump’s actions led to an impeachment inquiry in 2019, where he was accused of abuse of power for using military aid as leverage to influence Ukrainian politics. Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives, but the Senate acquitted him in February 2020.

6. Was there any wrongdoing by Joe Biden in Ukraine?

There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by Joe Biden regarding his involvement with Ukraine. Investigations have found that Biden did not act improperly in calling for the dismissal of Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, and Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine were not linked to any criminal activity by Joe Biden.

7. How did the withholding of aid affect Ukraine?

The delay in military aid put Ukraine in a vulnerable position as it faced continued Russian aggression. The withholding of the aid caused tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine, although the aid was eventually released after the public exposure of the