US President Joe Biden held a previously undisclosed conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, mere days before stepping onto the debate stage against Donald Trump, the Daily Mail can reveal.
The call, which took place on 20th June, was confirmed by the White House only after being directly questioned by reporters. It occurred against a deeply sensitive political backdrop, given the longstanding scrutiny of Hunter Biden's lucrative role on the board of Ukrainian energy giant Burisma while his father was Vice President.
A Call Shrouded in Secrecy
Unlike most high-level diplomatic engagements, the White House did not publicly announce the call in its official schedule or issue a readout immediately afterwards. The conversation only came to light when a reporter from the Associated Press inquired about it, prompting a belated confirmation and summary from officials.
This lack of immediate transparency is unusual for an administration that typically publicises the President's communications with world leaders, leading to questions about the timing and motive behind the discussion.
The Official Line: War and Support
According to the White House, the central topic of discussion was the ongoing war effort against Russia. A spokesperson stated the leaders talked about "Ukraine's current needs on the battlefield" and the recent security agreement signed between the two nations at the G7 summit.
"President Biden reaffirmed the United States' steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression," the official account reads, framing the call as a routine check-in between allies.
The Shadow of Burisma and Impeachment
The conversation is inevitably viewed through the lens of the Biden family's complicated history with Ukraine. Hunter Biden's role at Burisma, for which he was paid millions, was a central focus of the 2019 impeachment proceedings against then-President Trump.
Trump was accused of withholding military aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelensky to investigate the Bidens. President Biden has always maintained he never discussed his son's business dealings with Ukrainian officials, a claim that has been repeatedly challenged by Republicans.
Political Fallout and Timing
The timing of the call, just before a critical debate where the President's fitness for office was a major theme, has ignited fresh criticism from political opponents. They suggest the discussion could be seen as an attempt to reassure Zelensky of continued US support amid political turbulence or to head off any potential negative statements from Kyiv.
This incident ensures that questions over the Biden family's foreign business dealings will remain a potent issue on the political stage, complicating the administration's diplomatic outreach.
