US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday defended the Trump administration's approach to Ukraine, which is driving an impeachment inquiry in Congress, calling it typical of the transactional way countries deal with one another in the real world.
Pompeo supported the administration's demand that Ukraine open inquiries into alleged corruption that could target Vice President Joe Biden's son and alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election as reasonable, responsible and necessary to target graft, ensure aid is spent properly, and protect America's democracy.
Lawmakers have made President Donald Trump's request last summer that Ukraine investigate the Bidens the centerpiece of an impeachment probe.
A whistleblower complaint said that Trump sought to use military assistance for Ukraine as leverage to push President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate the 2020 Democratic hopeful.
Pompeo told an audience in Athens that the focus from the media and commentators on Trump and Ukraine is "wrong" because it doesn't "impact real people's lives."
"We were trying to create a situation where there wouldn't be a corrupt government. We wanted to make sure that they didn't interfere in our election in 2016. We wanted to make sure that if we underwrote Javelin missile systems, something that the previous administration refused to do, we wanted to make sure we were doing this with a government that was straight up and would use that money for the things that it said it would use that money for."
"This is what we do. We work together in a political environment to achieve what the Greek people want. And America tries to advance its interests around the world."
"It is totally appropriate. Nations do this. Nations work together. They say 'Boy, goodness gracious if you can help me with X, we'll help you achieve Y.' This is what partnerships do. It's win-win."