So Trump's anti-Ukraine campaign was more than military help
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/white-house-delayed-ukraine-trade-decision-in-august-a-signal-that-u-s-suspension-of-cooperation-extended-beyond-security-funds/ar-AAJjsos?li=BBnb7Kz
As we suspected, Trumpsky -- no doubt responding to Putin's orders -- broadly tightened the screws on Ukraine, going further than just withholding hundreds of millions in help to fight the Russians. Just last August, he opposed proposals to ease their exports to us.
So-called GSP (General System of Preferences) provides duty-free entry of many goods from developing countries -- a way to promote poorer nations' economies -- would help the war-ravaged Ukraine.
It was important enough that the then-National Security Adviser, the redoubtable John Bolton, troubled to tell our chief trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, that Trump likely would reject such help for Ukraine.
We must presume that this secret White House campaign against Russia's enemy, indeed, went deeper than two unrelated areas of international cooperation. Both Bolton and Lighthizer are top actors in the Trump government -- as are the dozens of othes U.S. officials at State and Defense Departments involved in halting vital military help. They would not risk such efforts without clear instructions to do so.
Since, moreover, Ukraine now is the focus of Congress's serious effort to impeach Trumpsky, we should expect more news about his illicit arm-twisting there --clearly intended to harm his likely 2020 opponent, Joe Biden.
As we suspected, Trumpsky -- no doubt responding to Putin's orders -- broadly tightened the screws on Ukraine, going further than just withholding hundreds of millions in help to fight the Russians. Just last August, he opposed proposals to ease their exports to us.
So-called GSP (General System of Preferences) provides duty-free entry of many goods from developing countries -- a way to promote poorer nations' economies -- would help the war-ravaged Ukraine.
It was important enough that the then-National Security Adviser, the redoubtable John Bolton, troubled to tell our chief trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer, that Trump likely would reject such help for Ukraine.
We must presume that this secret White House campaign against Russia's enemy, indeed, went deeper than two unrelated areas of international cooperation. Both Bolton and Lighthizer are top actors in the Trump government -- as are the dozens of othes U.S. officials at State and Defense Departments involved in halting vital military help. They would not risk such efforts without clear instructions to do so.
Since, moreover, Ukraine now is the focus of Congress's serious effort to impeach Trumpsky, we should expect more news about his illicit arm-twisting there --clearly intended to harm his likely 2020 opponent, Joe Biden.