During his visit to Ukraine, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met President Volodymyr Zelensky that coincides with an impeachment trial against American President Donald Trump over an alleged pressure campaign against the Ukrainian leader.
Pompeo said, “Today I’m here with a clear message: The US sees that the Ukrainian struggle for freedom, democracy and prosperity is a valiant one. Our commitment to supporting it will not waver”.
However, Democrats in the US believe otherwise, Efe news reported.
“No, there’s no condition if nature you described for President Zelensky to come to Washington and have that visit, it’s simply not the case. We’ll find the right time, we’ll find the appropriate opportunity,” Pompeo said.
“We want to make sure that it happens at a time when there’s substantial progress, things that we can deliver between the two of.
“President Zelensky will be welcome to come to Washington when we have an opportunity to do good things for both the Ukrainian and the American people,” he added.
Zelensky has been embroiled in the US impeachment process and faced tough talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but had thus far managed to avoid any significant domestic political problems.
Zelensky came to power promising sweeping change and has since taken several steps to resolve the separatist conflict, including prisoner exchanges and a landmark meeting with Putin in Paris last month.
The second article of impeachment accuses the president of “obstruction of Congress”, for directing executive branch agencies, offices and officials not to comply with subpoenas seeking documents and testimony deemed vital to the House’s inquiry.
The US leader is being impeached for allegedly trying to pressure Zelensky into investigating political rival Joe Biden.
Ukraine’s former president had said that he discussed investments with President Donald Trump’s attorney, Rudy Giuliani, in 2017, but that he never discussed Ukrainian companies with any US official.
In September, the impeachment inquiry, which Nancy Pelosi initiated over a complaint by an anonymous whistleblower, is looking into White House’s alleged efforts to withhold military aid to have Ukraine investigate a Trump’s political rival, Joe Biden.