Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied that he felt pressured by President Donald Trump during the infamous phone call that prompted calls for impeachment from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, noting that the full transcript was released earlier Wednesday morning.
“I think you read everything,” he replied. “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be involved to democratic, open elections, elections of USA.”
Zelensky and Trump spoke to the press ahead of a bilateral meeting in New York City, during the annual United Nations assembly.
Zelensky described the call as “normal,” and that “nobody pushed me.”
Trump agreed. “In other words, no pressure,” he added.
The president began the press availability with a joke, “He’s made me more famous and I’ve made him more famous,” Trump said.
The Ukrainian president invited President Trump to visit Ukraine, noting that former President Barack Obama “never found the time.”
Trump said he would “try” to visit, but did not commit.
Zelensky said Ukraine was fighting two wars, one against corruption and the second fighting to get back territories annexed by Russia.
Trump said that the former vice president’s son Hunter Biden was guilty of corruption in Ukraine and China. He continued:
When Biden’s son walks away with millions of dollars from Ukraine and he knows nothing and they’re paying him millions of dollars, that’s corruption, when Biden’s son walks out of China with $1.5 billion dollars in a fund and the biggest funds in the world can’t get money out of China. And he’s there for one quick meeting and he flies in on Air Force Two, I think it’s a horrible thing.
Trump also reminded him that Russian took Crimea during the Obama administration, and urged Europe to do more to help Ukraine.
“We don’t need help, we need support, real support,” Zelensky replied. “Only together America and EU, only together we can stop the war.”