Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry Lashes Out At Ukrainian GOP Rep For Demanding Corruption Oversight

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry Lashes Out At Ukrainian GOP Rep For Demanding Corruption Oversight

Micaela Burrow on July 11, 2022

Ukraine’s foreign ministry retaliated against Ukrainian-born Indiana Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz Saturday after she requested an investigation into a top Ukrainian official, according to a translation of a Facebook statement.

Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, accused Spartz of using the war between Russia and Ukraine to her own political advantage in the statement. Spartz is the only Ukrainian-born lawmaker in the U.S. Congress and has been outspoken to her colleagues about the conflict, according to Politico.

“We advise Ms. Spartz to stop trying to earn extra political capital on baseless speculation around the topic of war in our country and the grief of Ukrainians. Especially cynical are manipulations about Ukraine and its leadership from Congresswomen of Ukrainian origin,” said Nikolenko.

Spartz asked the Biden administration in a letter Thursday to brief Congress on Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, following allegations that he appointed a law enforcement deputy who stonewalled the appointment of an anti-corruption prosecutor.

“Based on a variety of intelligence and actions by Mr. Yermak in Ukraine, Congress needs to obtain this information urgently. Considering our material involvement in this conflict, we owe this level of rigor and accountability to the American people to ensure that our assistance does not get into the hands of the wrong people, as Ukraine urgently needs increased levels and speed of security assistance from your Administration, which unfortunately has not been the case,” she said.

Today, I sent a letter to @POTUS Biden requesting a briefing on oversight procedures performed relating to President @ZelenskyyUa‘s Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak.https://t.co/LTYuumdUT8

— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) July 8, 2022

As Ukraine requests billions in development aid for reconstruction after war, concerns have mounted in Congress over whether U.S. assistance to Ukraine is being applied where lawmakers intend.

Spartz has repeatedly called for increased oversight of Ukrainian aid, urging both Zelenskyy and President Biden to “stop playing politics” over the war, according to a statement.

“Congresswoman should also stop undermining the existing mechanisms of providing US military assistance to Ukraine,” said Nikolenko. “Further bureaucratization and delaying the process, which is obviously and aspiring by Victoria Spartz, will only contribute to the further promotion of Russian invaders.”

Spartz responded to the foreign office in a statement Saturday, saying she believed in Ukraine’s democratic potential and importance as a U.S. ally, but that this would require addressing sensitive issues.

“I encourage the Ministry to consider my statement with the kind of seriousness these questions about Mr. Yermak demand, instead of launching ad hominem attacks as they have thus far,” she said.

Spartz also elaborated on the claims against Yermak, including leaking information to Belarus on Ukraine’s attempt to capture the Russian Wagner group and sabotaging the Ukrainian military.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ukrainian Embassy in the U.S. and the office of Victoria Spartz did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.