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Scandal around Trump-Zelensky call caused by domestic political struggle in US - expert

"We can see the US sacrificing its foreign policy goals to domestic policy interests. It is regrettable and concerns not only the United States but other countries as well," Chairman of the Board of the Valdai International Discussion Club’s Development and Support Foundation Andrei Bystritsky said

MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. Reports saying that US President Trump in a telephone call allegedly pressed his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky to investigate into former US Vice President Joe Biden is another evidence of the domestic political struggle in the United States, Chairman of the Board of the Valdai International Discussion Club’s Development and Support Foundation Andrei Bystritsky told TASS.

"We can see the US sacrificing its foreign policy goals to domestic policy interests. It is regrettable and concerns not only the United States but other countries as well," he said.

The expert pointed out that such a situation had nothing to do with the confrontation of ideas and strategies as it was just an attempt to influence opponents and achieve short-term goals. "Often times, national and even global interests are sacrificed," Bystritsky added.

Lack of evidence

The expert also said that the parties had failed to present evidence to prove their words. In time, the scandal will fade into the background but it would leave behind an unpleasant train that would haunt Biden during the 2020 presidential election campaign.

According to Bystritsky, as far as the phone call between the US and Ukrainian presidents is concerned, Ukraine has adopted a wait-and-see attitude and is in no rush to prove either of the parties’ words.

"Much would depend on it but the Ukrainians haven’t confirmed anything yet," he noted. "It seems Ukraine is trying to understand what it should do in this situation, they aren’t taking any hasty steps, which is reasonable," Bystritsky emphasized.

Biden investigation

The Wall Street Journal earlier reported, citing sources, that US President Donald Trump in a July phone call repeatedly pressured the Ukrainian president to work with Trump’s lawyer Rudolph Giuliani to renew an investigation into Joe Biden’s son Hunter, who used to serve on the board of a Ukrainian gas producer. According to the newspaper, Giuliani met with Ukrainian officials in June and August to discuss the matter. Giuliani believes that as US vice president, Joe Biden could have put pressure on Kiev to close the investigation. The Ukrainian authorities earlier said there was no evidence of wrongdoing by either Joe or Hunter Biden.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadim Pristaiko on Friday confirmed a telephone conversation between Zelensky and Trump, saying that it was friendly and the Ukrainian president had faced no pressure.

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