And here's some Ukrainian reaction to Vindman's claim:
Also from our news desk:
U.S. National Security Official Tells Impeachment Hearing Ukraine Offered Him Defense Minister Position
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. National Security Council’s expert for Ukraine has told a Democratic-led House impeachment hearing he was offered the position of Ukraine’s defense minister three times, a revelation that Republicans could seize on to cast doubt about his testimony.
Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Vindman, who was born in the Soviet republic of Ukraine, told the hearing that then-Ukraine national-security chief Oleksandr Danylyuk asked if he wanted the Defense Ministry position when he visited Kyiv as part of the U.S. delegation attending President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's inauguration.
"Every single time I dismissed it. Upon returning, I notified my chain of command and the appropriate counterintelligence folks about the offer," he said, adding: "I am an American. I came here when I was a toddler and I immediately dismissed these offers. I did not entertain them. I did not leave the door open at all."
Vindman is a key witness in the impeachment hearing into whether U.S. President Donald Trump abused his position of office and tried to tie military aid for Ukraine to Zelenskiy’s announcement of an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to run against Trump in 2020.
Vindman informed White House lawyers that Trump's call with Zelenskiy on July 25 -- which is at the heart of the impeachment hearing -- was inappropriate.
Allies of Trump have sought to question the loyalty of Vindman, a decorated veteran who emigrated from Soviet Ukraine to the United States when he was a child.
Prior to asking Vindman about Danylyuk’s offer, the Republican counsel questioned Vindman about whether his superiors were concerned about his access to information and judgement on Ukraine policy, to which he replied "no."
However, Vindman indicated he was surprised he was not invited to travel with Vice President Mike Pence to Warsaw in September to meet with Zelenskiy and was not involved in phone calls between his boss, Tim Morrison, and William Taylor, the U.S. charge d'affaires to Ukraine.
"Certainly, it was concerning" because Taylor "wasn’t steeped" in all Ukraine issues, he said about not being part of the calls. "I thought I could contribute to the performance of his duties."
The Czech prime minister was in Kyiv today. Here's how Radio Prague International reported his trip:
Czech PM Babiš pledges support for territorial integrity on Ukraine visit
The Czech prime minister, Andrej Babiš, visited Ukraine on Tuesday. After attending the launch of a Czech-Ukrainian enterprise forum, Mr. Babiš held talks with the country’s prime minister, Oleksiy Honcharuk. Following both engagements in Kiev he reiterated the Czech Republic’s support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
Mr. Babiš later told Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, that the Czech Republic condemned Russian aggression in the east of the country and Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. The Czech leader also invited Mr. Zelensky to a meeting of the Visegrad Four in Prague.