OVERVIEW
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SANCTIONS
2017
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
August 2017, the CAATSA was passed which codified Obama executive orders imposing sanctions and prevented Trump from easing.
MARCH 15, 2018
Sanctions against 13 RU hackers. Not Ukraine related
APRIL 6, 2018
Sanctions against 7 Russians and 12 companies, not related to Ukraine.
AUGUST 9 2018
Sanctions related to Skripal poisoning
2019
MARCH 15, 2019:
Treasury Sanctions Russia over Continued Aggression in Ukraine[ii]
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm629
AUGUST 3, 2019
Sanctions related to Chemical Weapons Control.[iii] Not related to Ukraine.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
Sanctions against Russian entity over evading. Sovfracht.[iv]
2020
JANUARY 29, 2020
Treasury Sanctions Illegitimate Russian-Backed Crimean Officials and Railroad Company Linking Crimea to Russia[v]
SEPTEMBER 10, 2020
Treasury announces more sanctions against RU linked influence campaigns, and names a Ukrainian, Andrii Derkach.[vii] Derkach had been working to discredit Biden in a campaign with Giuliani. Giuliani distanced himself from Derkach after sanctions announced.
UKRAINE PLATFORM SWITCH 2016
DECEMBER 18, 2014
Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 passed. It affirmed U.S. policy to “it is U.S. policy to assist the government of Ukraine in restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to deter the government of the Russian Federation from further destabilizing and invading Ukraine and other independent countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia”
In July 2016, Trump campaign staff J.D. Gordon intentionally softened the standing GOP position to send lethal aid to Ukraine to ward of Russian aggression and turn it to ‘appropriate action’. Influence of this came from Paul Manafort, campaign chief for Trump and Yanukovych.
HUNTING WITH RUDY AND LEV
Rudy Giuliani was in Ukraine to meddle, not to fix.
JAN to FEB 2018:
Giuliani meets with Yuriy Lutsenko in New York and Warsaw
MAY 9, 2019:
Giuliani makes plan to go to Ukriane. New York Times prints the plan was to discuss “Russian interference” in 2016. The second item is to investigate HBiden. “We’re not meddling in an election, we’re meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do” They were seeking to undermine the investigation into Trump and Manafort.
JUNE 4, 2020
Ukraine announces no violations found related to Hunter Biden.[vi] Conducted by Ruslan Ryaboshapka, all past Burisma cases were reviewed. “I specifically asked prosecutors to check especially carefully those facts about Biden’s alleged involvement. They answered that there was nothing of the kind”
THE PERFECT PHONE CALL
DONALD TRUMP calls incoming president Zelenskyy.
APRIL 21, 2019:
Volodymyr Zelenskyy wins election.
JULY 19, 2019:
Kurt Volker and Gordon Sondland, exchange texts about Sondland’s meeting with Zelenskyy before calling Trump. Volker wrote: “Good. Hand breakfast with Rudy this morning teeing up call with Yermak Monday. Must have helped. Most impt is for Zelensky to say that he will help investigation, and address any specific personnel issues, if there are any.
JULY 25, 2019:
Zelenskyy asks Trump for Javelins. In return, Trump asks “do us a favor”. This includes made up claim about Crowdstrike, then to investigate HBiden.
It is transcribed: “I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike… I guess you have one of your wealthy people… The server, they say Ukraine, has it. There are lots of things that went on, the whole situation. I think you’re surrounding yourself with the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General…”
TO EXPLAIN CROWDSTRIKE COMMENT:
https://apnews.com/article/aa1f66a1770d4995a6bada960a7d119e
SEPTEMBER 9, 2019: Bill Taylor writes to Sondland: “As I said on the phone, I think its crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” Sondland responds: “Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quos of any kind.”
AUGUST 12, 2019
Whistleblower Complaint is filed with IG of IC
SEPTEMBER 1, 2019: Zelenskyy meets with Pence, not Trump.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2019: Ukraine aid is finally released.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2019: Schiff subpoena to DNI about whistleblower.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2019: Pelosi announces impeachment inquiry
SEPTEMBER 25, 2019: WH releases “memo of the call” between Zelenskyy and Trump.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2019: House Intelligence Committee releases redacted whistleblower complaint.
“In the course of my official duties, I have received information from multiple U.S. Government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election. This interference includes, among other things, pressuring a foreign country to investigate one of the President’s main domestic political rivals. The President’s personal lawyer, Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, is a central figure in this effort. Attorney General Barr appears to be involved as well”
OCTOBER 3, 2019: Volker testifies in closed door session and releases texts between him and officials. Trump calls for China and Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.
SANCTIONS TIMELINE
MARCH 6, 2014
Obama announces sanctions regime with E.O. 13660, Blocking Property of Certain Persons contributing to the situation in Ukraine
Based on International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA),
the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)),
and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
MARCH 17, 2014
Obama issues E.O. 13661, Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine
MARCH 20, 2014
Obama issues E.O. Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine
MARCH 21, 2014
Russia invades Crimea: Announces Annexation
DECEMBER 19, 2014
Obama issues E.O 13685, Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to the Crimea Region of Ukraine
LETHAL WEAPONS TO UA
DECEMBER 18, 2014
Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 passed. It affirmed U.S. policy to “it is U.S. policy to assist the government of Ukraine in restoring its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to deter the government of the Russian Federation from further destabilizing and invading Ukraine and other independent countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia”
In July 2016, Trump campaign staff J.D. Gordon intentionally softened the standing GOP position to send lethal aid to Ukraine to ward of Russian aggression and turn it to ‘appropriate action’. Influence of this came from Paul Manafort, campaign chief for Trump and Yanukovych.
NOVEMBER 2016: Trump is elected President.
2017
DECEMBER 20, 2017:
“Correction: A previous version of this blog post incorrectly reported that the Trump administration had approved the first-ever commercial sale of lethal weapons to Ukraine. It stated that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had publicly supported arms sales to Ukraine; Mattis did not explicitly do so. This post has been updated.”
Washington Post article states: “The move was heavily supported by top Trump national security Cabinet officials and Congress but may complicate President Trump’s stated ambition to work with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
Model M107A1 Sniper Systems were approved, valued at $41.5 Million, however it stated, “There has been no approval to export the heavier weapons the Ukrainian government is asking for, such as Javelin antitank missiles.”[i]
Then it continued: “As I reported in October, the decision over whether to allow lethal arms sales to Ukraine had been sitting on Trump’s desk for months. The National Security Council’s Principals Committee, which includes Cabinet members, met months ago and provided several options to the president.”
“Experts and officials said Trump’s chosen option was measured; he didn’t approve everything the Ukrainians asked for but nonetheless crossed the line of approving lethal sales, a significant shift in his administration’s approach and U.S. policy overall.”