Page:Impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States — Report of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives.pdf/93

 With these directives in mind, Ambassadors Sondland and Volker "worked to obtain the necessary assurance from President Zelensky that he would personally commit to initiate the investigations in order to secure both" the White House call and meeting. On July 10, for example, "Ambassador Bolton hosted a meeting in the White House with two senior Ukrainian officials, several American officials, including Ambassadors Sondland and Volker, Secretary Perry, Dr. Fiona Hill, Senior Director for Europe and Russia at the NSC, and Lt. Col. Vindman." When, as had become customary, the Ukrainians asked about the "long-delayed White House meeting," Ambassador Sondland revealed "an arrangement with Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney to schedule the White House visit after Ukraine initiated the 'investigations.'" Despite Ambassador Bolton ending that meeting, Ambassador Sondland "ushered many of the attendees to the Ward Room downstairs to continue their discussion" and, at that meeting, Ambassador Sondland explained again "that he had an agreement with Mr. Mulvaney that the White House visit would come only after Ukraine announced the Burisma/Biden and 2016 Ukraine election interference investigations."

Over the next two weeks, "Ambassadors Sondland and Volker worked closely with Mr. Giuliani and senior Ukrainian and American officials to ensure that," on the telephone call between President Trump and President Zelensky, President Zelensky would promise to undertake the investigations that Mr. Giuliani had been pushing on the President's behalf. As Ambassador Sondland testified, "Mr. Giuliani was expressing the desires of the President of the United States, and we knew these investigations were important to the President." The Ukrainians were reluctant to get involved, noting that they did not want to be "an instrument in Washington domestic, reelection politics." Mr. Giuliani and the American officials made clear, however, that there would be no White House meeting without the investigations.

b.The Solicitation

President Trump's official act of soliciting the investigations is apparent on the face of the transcript of his July 25 call with President Zelensky. On that call, he requested that President