Manafort indictment sparks hunt for European lobbyists

New allegations say ex-leaders pushed Ukraine on EU pact.

KIEV, UKRAINE — A new indictment against former Donald Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort focused a spotlight Saturday on uncovering the former European leaders who prosecutors con- tend were secretly paid by Manafort to lobby on behalf of Ukraine.

The U.S. in d ictm e nt handed up Friday by a grand jury doesn’t name the European politicians, although it notes they worked in coor- dination with Manafort, his deputy Rick Gates and two Washington lobbying firms — the Podesta Group and Mercury Public Affairs — to lobby U.S. officials and lawmakers.

At least four leaders — former Italian Prime Min- ister Romano Prodi, former Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski and former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko — were named last year in public filings by the two lobbying firms. The firms said the politicians were involved in U.S. speaking events and meetings with U.S. lawmakers and others to promote Manafort’s client at the time, Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president, Viktor Yanukovych.

The filings did not disclose any payments to the former officials, and it’s unclear if they are the same politicians referenced in the U.S. indictment.

U.S. law requires people who are lobbying U.S. officials on behalf of foreign governments or political parties to register, and a Justice Department database doesn’t show that those former European officials did.

But it’s unclear from the U.S. indictment how much any kind of secret activity, the former European politi- let alone in secret lobbycians knew about their fund- ing groups, nor has he ever ing or if they could be covreceived compensation for ered by some legal exemp- this kind of activity,” said tion. the statement, carried by the

The lobbying by the EuroItalian news agency ANSA. pean political figures, identiThe statement said “Prodi fied in the indictment as the has long worked so that “Hapsburg Group,” allegedly Ukraine’s growing nearer took place in 2012-13, when to Europe can become conUkraine was moving toward crete” and added that his closer integration with the activity “was public and thus European Union. But the easily traceable.” indictment doesn’t formally Kwasniewski was quoted charge any of the leaders or as saying he had no financial refer to them as co-conspir- or political agreements with ators of Manafort and Gates. Manafort and was not famil

None of the four politi- iar with the term “Hapsburg cians responded to requests Group.” for comment Saturday from The leading Polish news The Associated Press but outlet Onet quoted him three of them were quoted as saying that he knows as denying the reports. Manafort, having met him

Gusenbauer told the Ausin 2012 when he and Pattrian national news agency rick Cox, a former EuroAPA that he never acted on pean Parliament president Yanukovych’s behalf. from Ireland, led a mission

“I never undertook activto Ukraine to try to persuade ities for Mr. Yanukovych” or Yanukovych to release his his party, the news agency rival, former Ukrainian prime quoted Gusenbauer as sayminister Yulia Tymoshenko, ing. He said his interests in from prison.

2012 and 2013 were in bring“We met several times, ing the nation of Ukraine with the hope that Manafort closer to Europe. would help convince Yanu

“In public events in Paris, kovych” to release TymosBrussels and Berlin, I advo- henko, Kwasniewski was cated for the European Union quoted as saying. “I have concluding an association not seen him since Novemagreement with Ukraine,” ber 2013, when Yanukovych he said. refused to sign the associa

The press office for Prodi, tion agreement with the EU.” the former Italian premier “No money came into and European Commission play. I did not have any finanpresident, denied that he cial or political agreements was ever involved or paid with him. This is some kind by a secret lobbying group. of misunderstanding,” he

Prodi “never took part in said.