Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member,
thank you for the opportunity to address
the House Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence
with respect to the activities
relating to Ukraine
and my role in the events
under investigation.
I have dedicated
my entire professional life
to the United States of America.
For more than two decades,
it has been my honor to serve
as an officer in the United States Army.
As an infantry officer,
I served multiple overseas tours,
including South Korea and Germany,
and I was deployed to Iraq
for combat operations.
Since 2008, I have been
a Foreign Area Officer
specializing in European and Eurasian
politico-military affairs.
I served in the United States embassies
in Kiev, Ukraine and Moscow, Russia.
In Washington, D.C.,
I was a politico-military affairs officer
for Russia
for the Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
where I drafted the Armed Forces’
global campaign plan
to counter Russian aggression
and Russian malign influence.
In July 2018, I was asked to serve
at the White House’s
National Security Council.
At the NSC I am the principal advisor
to the National Security Advisor
on Ukraine and other countries
in my portfolio.
My role at the NSC is to develop,
coordinate, and implement
plans and policies to manage
the full range of diplomatic,
informational, military,
and economic national security issues
for the countries in my portfolio.
My core function is to coordinate policy
with departments and agencies..
The Committee has heard
from many of my colleagues
about the strategic importance of Ukraine
as a bulwark against Russian aggression.
It is important to note
that our country’s policy
of supporting Ukrainian sovereignty
and territorial integrity,
promoting Ukrainian prosperity,
and strengthening
a free and democratic Ukraine,
as a counter to Russian aggression,
has been a consistent, bi-partisan
foreign policy objective and strategy
across various administrations,
both Democrat and Republican,
and that President Zelenskyy’s election,
in April 2019,
created an unprecedented opportunity
to realize our strategic objectives.
In the Spring of 2019,
I became aware of two disruptive actors–-
primarily Ukraine’s
then-Prosecutor Yuri Lutsenko
and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani,
President’s personal attorney—
promoting false narratives
that undermined
the United States’ Ukraine policy.
The NSC and its inter-agency partners,
including the State Department,
grew increasingly concerned
about the impact
that such information was having
on our country’s ability to achieve
our national security objectives.
On April 21, 2019, Volodymyr Zelenskyy
was elected President of Ukraine
in a landslide victory on a unity, reform,
and anti-corruption platform.
President Trump called President Zelenskyy
on April 21, 2019,
to congratulate him for his victory.
I was the staff officer
who produced the call materials
and was one of the staff officers
who listened to the call.
The call was positive
and President Trump expressed his desire
to work with President Zelenskyy
and extended an invitation
to visit the White House.
In May, I attended the inauguration
of President Zelenskyy
as part of the Presidential delegation
led by Secretary Perry.
Following the visit,
the members of the delegation
provided President Trump a debriefing
offering a positive assessment
of President Zelenskyy and his team.
After this debriefing,
President Trump signed
a congratulatory letter
to President Zelenskyy
and extended another invitation
to visit the White House.
On July 10, 2019, Oleksandr Danylyuk,
then Ukraine’s National Security Advisor,
visited Washington, D.C. for a meeting
with National Security Advisor Bolton.
Ambassadors Volker and Sondland
and Secretary Rick Perry
also attended the meeting.
I attended with Dr. Hill.
We fully anticipated the Ukrainians
would raise the issue of a meeting
between the presidents.
Ambassador Bolton cut the meeting short
when Ambassador Sondland started to speak
about the requirement that Ukraine
deliver specific investigations
in order to secure
the meeting with President Trump.
Following this meeting,
there was a short debriefing
during which Amb. Sondland emphasized
the importance of Ukraine delivering
the investigations into the 2016 election,
the Bidens, and Burisma.
I stated to Ambassador Sondland
that this was inappropriate
and had nothing to do
with national security.
Dr. Hill also asserted
his comments were improper.
Following the meeting Dr. Hill and I
had agreed to report the incident
to the NSC’s lead counsel,
Mr. John Eisenberg.
On July 21, 2019,
President Zelenskyy
won a parliamentary election
in another landslide victory.
The NSC proposed that President Trump
call President Zelenskyy
to congratulate him.
On July 25, 2019, the call occurred.
I listened in on the call
in the Situation Room
with White House colleagues.
I was concerned by the call,
what I heard was inappropriate,
and I reported my concerns
to Mr. Eisenberg.
It is improper for the President
of the United States
to demand a foreign government
investigate a U.S. citizen
and a political opponent.
It was also clear that
if Ukraine pursued an investigation
into the 2016 election,
the Bidens, and Burisma,
it would be interpreted
as a partisan play.
This would undoubtedly result
in Ukraine losing bipartisan support,
undermining U.S. national security,
and advancing Russia’s
strategic objectives in the region.
I want to emphasize to the Committee
that when I reported my concerns
-- on July 10,
relating to Ambassador Sondland,
and on July 25,
relating to the President --
I did so out of a sense of duty.
I privately reported my concerns,
in official channels,
to the proper authorities
in the chain of command.
My intent was to raise these concerns
because they had significant
national security implications
for our country.
I never thought I would be sitting here
testifying in front of this committee
and the American public, about my actions.
When I reported my concerns,
my only thought was to act properly
and to carry out my duty.
Following each of my reports
to Mr. Eisenberg,
I immediately returned to work
to advance
the President’s and our country’s
foreign policy objectives.
I focused on what I have done
throughout my military career,
promoting America’s
national security interests.
I want to take a moment
to recognize the courage of my colleagues
who have appeared
and are scheduled to appear
before this Committee.
I want to state that
the character attacks
on these distinguished
and honorable public servants
is reprehensible.
It is natural to disagree
and engage in spirited debate,
this has been the custom of our country
since the time of our Founding Fathers,
but we are better
than personal attacks.
The uniform I wear today
is that of the United States Army.
The members of our all-volunteer force
are made up of a patchwork
of people from all ethnicities, regions,
and socio-economic backgrounds
who come together under a common oath
to protect and defend
the Constitution
of the United States of America.
We do not serve
any political party,
we serve the nation.
I am humbled to come before you today
as one of many who serve
in the most distinguished
and able military in the world.
The Army is the only profession
I have ever known.
As a young man I decided
that I wanted to spend my life
serving this nation
that gave my family refuge
from authoritarian oppression,
For the last twenty years
it has been an honor
to represent and protect
this great country.
Next month will mark 40 years since
my family arrived
in the United States as refugees.
When my father was 47 years old
he left behind his entire life
and the only home he had ever known
to start over in the United States
so his three sons could have
better, safer lives.
His courageous decision inspired
a deep sense of gratitude
in my brothers and myself
and instilled in us
a sense of duty and service.
All three of us have served
or are currently serving in the military.
My little brother stood behind me
here today.
Our collective military service
is a special part
of our family’s story
in America.
I also recognize that my simple act
of appearing here today,
just like the courage of my colleagues
who have also truthfully testified
before this Committee,
would not be tolerated
in many places around the world.
In Russia, my act of expressing
concerns to the chain of command
in an official and private channel
would have severe personal
and professional repercussions
and offering public testimony
involving the President
would surely cost me my life.
I am grateful for my father’s
brave act of hope 40 years ago
and for the privilege of being
an American citizen and public servant,
where I can live free of fear
for mine and my family’s safety.
Dad, I'm sitting here today,
in the US Capitol
talking to our elected officials
is proof
that you made the right decision
forty years ago
to leave the Soviet Union
and come here
to United State of America
in search of a better life
for our family.
Do not worry,
I will be fine for telling the truth.
Thank you again for your consideration,
I'll be happy
to answer your questions.