The Zelensky-Trump phone call: Poroshenko weighs in | #TheCube

The Zelensky-Trump phone call: Poroshenko weighs in | #TheCube
By Seana Davis
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The Zelensky-Trump phone call: Poroshenko weighs in | #TheCube

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It was an explosive week in Washington politics, with impeachment proceedings launched against US President Donald Trump. For political novice Volodymyr Zelensky, being swept up into a political scandal is a move he would have wanted to avoid. But what do we know so far about the Zelensky-Trump affair and will it have far-reaching effects for the former?

Quite early on in the phone call, Trump tells Zelensky that the US is doing more for Ukraine than other European countries. Although the calls notes released by the White House is not verbatim, it details Trump taking a hit at German Chancellor Angela Merkel - that the German leader and other European counterparts engage in talks rather than concrete proposals.

Володимир Зеленський та Дональд Трамп обговорили широкий спектр питань. Насамперед, про ситуацію на Донбасі та про...

Publiée par Команда Зеленського sur Jeudi 26 septembre 2019

It was Zelenksy's response that has been seen as controversial, saying that he does not agree with Trump 100%, rather 1000%. Zelensky added that both the French President Macron and Merkel are not working enough to assist Ukraine.

This exchange had politicians, particularly from the opposition within Ukraine, talking on social media. Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine's former president, took to Twitter to say that the support provided by the EU "has been unprecedented".

In other tweets, Poroshenko said that he was grateful for the EU support provided during "Russian aggression," which included sanctions and economic aid. Others expressed their concern, with Ukranian politician Victoria Voytsiska saying: "How could we speak to Germany and France again?"

Блискавична промова загубилась в стенограмі телефонної розмови. Прикро:(

Publiée par Victoria Voytsitska sur Mercredi 25 septembre 2019

Trump goes on to allude to military aid and asks Zelensky to investigate not one, but two claims: one into Joe Biden's son Hunter but also into the hacked DNC server, suggesting that Ukraine had some involvement in hacking into the Democrat's emails during the 2016 election.

Whether this will hinder European relations, or burn bridges with his French and German counterparts, is unclear. "I don't want to say anything bad about anyone ... We thank everyone who helps us," Zelensky said in New York at the UN General Assembly following the release of the phone transcript.

Zelensky is set to meet the leaders of Russia, Germany, and France in the upcoming Normandy Four summit in October.

Click on the player above as The Cube details more.

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