Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko (Credit: Gleb Garanich/Reuters)
“In an interview with media outlet Hromadske, Prystaiko said Ukraine was an independent state and would not take sides in U.S. politics even if “in theory” the country was in a position to do so. He added that Kiev appreciated the assistance it received from Washington.
Zelenskiy’s office has so far declined to comment on the allegations.
“I know what the conversation was about and I think there was no pressure,” Prystaiko said. “This conversation was long, friendly, and it touched on many questions, sometimes requiring serious answers.”
Trump dismissed the Sept. 12 complaint from the whistleblower within the intelligence community as a partisan hit against him.
Trump had spoken Zelenskiy less than three weeks before the complaint was filed. Trump is due to meet Zelenskiy during a United Nations gathering in New York.
Prystaiko said Zelenskiy had the right to keep conversations with other leaders confidential.
“I want to say that we are an independent state, we have our secrets,” he was quoted as saying in the interview.” (Read more: Reuters, 9/21/2019)