Ukraine says Trump impeachment ‘internal US issue’

Kiev, Ukraine | AFP | Ukraine on Thursday brushed off the impeachment of Donald Trump an a US “internal issue”, despite the process being triggered by a telephone conversation between the American leader and his Ukrainian counterpart.

Trump was impeached on Wednesday by the House of Representatives for abuse of power over the July conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Ukraine does not interfere in the internal affairs of any state,” Zelensky’s spokeswoman Yuliya Mendel told AFP.

“The United States remains a strategic partner for us, and we are pleased to strengthen our relations by expanding cooperation in various fields,” she said.

In the conversation, Trump pressured Zelensky to investigate his potential White House challenger in 2020, the veteran Democrat Joe Biden.

Despite being embroiled in the controversy, Ukraine is seeking to preserve the bipartisan support from the United States which is crucial in its protracted conflict with Russian-backed separatists in the east of the country.

Earlier this month, Zelensky denied a quid pro quo with Trump when the US president held back promised military aid for Ukraine allegedly until the Biden case was investigated.

Trump will now stand trial in the Senate, where his Republican Party holds a solid majority and is expected to exonerate him.