WATCH: Alexander Vindman’s full opening statement | Trump impeachment hearings

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, an Army officer who works for the National Security Council, told the House Intelligence Committee on Nov. 19 that the July call between President Donald Trump and Ukraine's president was "improper." “It is improper for the President of the United States to demand a foreign government investigate a U.S. citizen and political opponent," he said. Vindman and Jennifer Williams, an aide to Vice President Mike Pence, both listened in on a July phone call in which Trump asked the president of Ukraine to investigate former vice president and 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. In his opening statement, Vindman also said, earlier this year, he became aware of "two disruptive actors" -- Ukraine’s then-Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko and Trump's personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani -- who promoted "false information that undermined the United States’ Ukraine policy."

For more on who’s who in the Trump impeachment inquiry, read: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whos-who-in-the-trump-impeachment-inquiry

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 the 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 General Yuri Lutsenko

and former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani,
President Trump’s personal attorney—

promoting false information
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.

July 25, 2019:
Parliamentary Election Call

On July 21, 2019,
President Zelenskyy’s party

won parliamentary elections
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 improper,

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 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,

undermine U.S. national security,

and advance 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 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 career,

promoting America’s
national security interests.

Conclusion 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 vile character attacks

on these distinguished
and honorable public servants

is reprehensible.

It is natural to disagree
and engage in spirited debate,

this has been our custom since the time
of our Founding Fathers,

but we are better
than callow and cowardly attacks.

The uniform I wear today
is that of the United States Army.

The members of our allvolunteer force
are made up of a patchwork

of people from all ethnicities, religions,
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 particular 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 the nation
that gave my family refuge

from authoritarian oppression,

and 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 that 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.

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
my 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, my 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,

and I would be happy
to answer your questions.