Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in CT
Detbuch, do you know if the Europeans did, in fact, pony up more?
I don't know. Trump's reasoning is what is in question, not if Trump's opinion about the Europeans need to give more is correct. And it wasn't simply about money aid. In the phone call in question, Zelensky specifically said the Europeans needed to do more re sanctions on Russia. And Pete F. keeps bringing up the EU as a whole, whereas Trump was referring to individual Euro countries.
Is there legitimate, credible evidence to suggest aid was withheld to get the Europeans to help more, rather than to pressure them on Biden? Or is it all he said / she said?
|
It has not been a secret that Trump believed that the Europeans were not assisting as much as he though they should. He had stated it several times including to the NATO Secretary General. The limited time left to OK the aid is why he did finally OK it. Congressman Rob Portman corroborated Trump's reasoning. He had discussed with Trump the necessity of getting the aid without further delay, and he said that the only reason that Trump said he wanted to delay it was that the Europeans were not doing enough. (And Portman agreed with him). Trump claims that after he put a hold on the aid and why, he got calls from some that they were willing to pony up more. That could be a "he said." I don't know. But Ken Vogel reported in the NYT that Ukraine didn't know until a month after the call that a hold had been put on the aid. It's a hell of a way to bribe someone when you haven't revealed to that person what the bribe is.
Threaded Mode