US Assess Whether Ambassador To Ukraine Yovanovitch Was Under Threat - Pompeo

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2020) The US Department of State will do all it can to assess whether former United States ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch was under threat as has been claimed by Ukraine-American businessman Lev Parnas, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

"I've not met this guy, Lev Parnas, to the best of my knowledge. I've never encountered, never communicated with him. We will do everything we need to do to evaluate whether there was something that took place there," Pompeo said. "I suspect that much of what's been reported will ultimately prove wrong, but our obligation, my obligation as Secretary of State, is to make sure that we evaluate, investigate."

In December, Democrats on the US House of Representatives decided to impeach President Donald Trump based on allegations that he froze approved aid to Ukraine in order to exert pressure on Kiev to investigate 2020 political rival and former Vice President Joe Biden for corruption.

New documentary evidence has since emerged in the form of letters, phone records, notes and computer flash drives obtained from Parnas, indicating that the Trump administration surveilled Yavanovich.

Parnas, who worked with Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, has been indicted on charges of making illegal campaign contributions.

Democrats are demanding that the upcoming Senate impeachment trial of Trump include new evidence from Parnas.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing, saying the impeachment is another political witch hunt by Democrats to reverse the results of the 2016 presidential election.