Witness slams fictional narrative about Ukraine
Hill won’t promote falsehoods that help Russia’s interest
Washington, Nov. 21: A former White House Russia analyst on Thursday denounced as “fictional” the contention from some Republicans that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election and warned lawmakers not to advance a politically motivated narrative helpful to Russia as they defend President Donald Trump in the impeachment probe. “I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” says Fiona Hill in prepared opening remarks to the House intelligence committee. Hill was an aide to national security adviser John Bolton and stressed that she is “nonpartisan” and has worked under Republican and Democratic presidents. “I have no interest in advancing the outcome of your inquiry in any particular direction, except toward the truth,” Hill said. But she said the conclusion by US intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the election “is beyond dispute.”
She said the assertion by some Republicans that Ukraine interfered in the election “is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves.”
“I refuse to be part of an effort to legitimise an alternative narrative that the Ukrainian government is a US adversary, and that Ukraine — not Russia — attacked us in 2016,” she said.
Hill said US support for Ukraine, “which continues to face armed Russian aggression, has been politicised.”