Gordon Sondland, US ambassador to the EU, said Donald Trump told him to co-ordinate Ukraine policy with Rudy Giuliani, further highlighting the central role the president’s personal lawyer has played in the Ukraine scandal.
Mr Sondland, a wealthy hotelier and Trump fundraiser, told Congress on Thursday that Mr Trump ordered him to liaise with Mr Giuliani in May when he urged the president to hold a telephone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, a former comedian who had been elected as Ukraine’s president.
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Mr Sondland said the US president gave the order after he and other officials working on Ukraine — including then special envoy Kurt Volker and Rick Perry, US energy secretary — tried to arrange both a telephone call with Mr Trump and an Oval Office meeting for Mr Zelensky
“President Trump was sceptical that Ukraine was serious about reforms and anti- corruption, and he directed those of us present at the meeting to talk to Mr Giuliani, his personal attorney, about his concerns,” Mr Sondland said. “It was apparent to all of us that the key to changing the president’s mind on Ukraine was Mr Giuliani.”
Mr Sondland is one of several officials called to provide evidence to the Democratic-controlled committees in the House of Representatives that are leading an impeachment inquiry into the president.
