A ‘Crazy’ Plan: How U.S. Diplomats Discussed the Pressure on Ukraine

The Daily

The New York Times

Daily News, News

4.4 • 102.8K Ratings

🗓️ 7 October 2019

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The House Democrats leading the impeachment inquiry of President Trump called their first witness: Kurt Volker, a top American diplomat involved in the negotiations with Ukraine. We look at what Mr. Volker’s testimony — and the text messages he turned over to Congress — revealed about the inquiry’s direction. Guest: Julian E. Barnes, who covers national security for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background coverage: A text exchange appears to show a dispute among American diplomats over whether President Trump was seeking a quid pro quo from Ukraine.A second whistle-blower, said to have firsthand knowledge about the president’s dealings with Ukraine, has come forward.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the New York Times, I'm Michael Barrow. This is Daily.
0:04.0	Today, the House Democrats leading the impeachment inquiry against President Trump have called
0:15.8	their first witness a U.S. diplomat involved in the negotiations with Ukraine.
0:22.2	Dr. Warren Barrow, on what that diplomat's testimony revealed about where the inquiry is headed.
0:33.2	It's Monday, October 7.
0:39.2	For the first time, today, lawmakers will hear from a diplomat directly involved in U.S.
0:45.2	activities with Ukraine.
0:49.2	The first witness to testify, Kurt Volker, the now former U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine.
0:56.2	Last Thursday, Kurt Volker walked into the House of Representatives and testified for nine hours.
1:04.2	Three committees are going to question Volker.
1:07.2	Volker is a very interesting figure. He is a longtime diplomat. He was ambassador to NATO in the Bush administration.
1:15.2	Volker was the special representative for Ukraine. He was the envoy in charge of trying to make progress in the fight between Russia and Ukraine.
1:27.2	This ongoing war.
1:29.2	He's a highly respected national security professional. He started his career at the CIA with a foreign service officer.
1:35.2	He was very close to John McCain and has run the McCain Institute.
1:39.2	He's a figure of a lot of credibility here.
1:43.2	But he was mentioned several times in the whistleblower's complaint, which sparked this inquiry.
1:49.2	Volker is named in the whistleblower complaint.
1:52.2	And as the controversy over President Trump's call with his Ukrainian counterpart has exploded in Washington,
2:02.2	Volker has found himself thrust into the center of it.
2:06.2	He's a top-state department envoy to Ukraine, at least he was, until he quit.
2:11.2	He resigned from his post. He resigned from a state department job.
	...

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