KYIV, Ukraine — As deputy foreign minister, it was Olena Zerkal ’s job to read incoming diplomatic cables from embassies around the world. One from Washington caught her eye back in July, she recalled: It said the Trump administration had frozen military aid for Ukraine. “ It was definitely mentioned there were some issues.”The timing of when Ukraine knew of the hold on the military aid is a critical question in the impeachment hearings in Congress. Democrats are trying to build a case that President Trump pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky by withholding the aid and a White House meeting — at the same time he was pressing for a public announcement that Ukraine would investigate his political rivals . Mr. Trump and his allies have also made the timing issue part of his defense.

Source: New York Times December 03, 2019 07:52 UTC