[Inter-Korea] :
The South Korean military says it believes more than ten-thousand North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia in support of the military offensive in Ukraine.
At a press briefing Tuesday, defense ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyu said intelligence authorities in South Korea and the U.S. believe a ...
[more...]
[International] :
A high-level U.S. government official reportedly confirmed that many North Korean troops deployed to Russia have been killed in combat against Ukraine.
On Tuesday, the New York Times quoted the official as saying “a significant number” were killed in action, with the exact time of the armed conflict ...
[more...]
[International] :
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly said Thursday that “losses” have already been recorded among North Korean troops in Russia’s Kursk region in combat against Ukrainian forces.
According to Reuters and AFP on Thursday, Zelenskyy made the remarks in a press conference after the ...
[more...]
[International] :
Ukraine's top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reportedly said that his country has numerous reports of North Korean soldiers preparing to participate in combat operations alongside Russian forces.
Reuters said on Sunday that Syrskyi made the remarks in a Facebook post on Saturday.
In the ...
[more...]
[International] :
The Ukrainian military has revealed what it claims are intercepted radio communications between North Korean soldiers in the Russian territory of Kursk.
The audio file, shared by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, features a male voice saying Korean words such as “wait” and “Seal two, one, ...
[more...]
[International] :
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly said on Monday that his country’s soldiers were fighting against nearly 50-thousand enemy troops in Russia’s Kursk region.
Reuters said Zelenkyy made the remarks in a post on Telegram.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine will considerably strengthen its ...
[more...]
The National Academies’ Committee on Human Rights issued a statement expressing concern at reports of indiscriminate military attacks in Ukraine that have included health facilities, and supported global calls to respect and protect access to health care in Ukraine, and in all conflict setting
The presidents of the U.S. National Academies issued a statement condemning the “horrific and unprovoked” Russian invasion of Ukraine. “We stand in solidarity with the scientists, engineers, health care workers, and other colleagues in the research community of Ukraine, who like all Ukrainians, are doing their best to survive and resist.”
With a $1 million donation, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation joins a growing number of individuals and institutions that are supporting an NAS effort to help displaced Ukrainian researchers relocate, continue their work, and stay connected to the international scientific community.
With a $500,000 donation, the American Chemical Society has joined the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in an effort to help researchers who are being forced to flee Ukraine because of Russia’s invasion.
The leaders of the national science academies of the United States, Ukraine, Poland, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, and ALLEA have developed an action plan for the international science community to build a strong science, innovation, research, and training system in Ukraine.
National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for her “significant contributions to the development of science and international scientific collaboration.”
As the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine approaches, NAS President Marcia McNutt and the presidents of the national science academies of Poland and Ukraine urge the scientific community around the world to continue helping scientists from and in Ukraine, and to plan for the post-war recovery of science there.
ESET Research has conducted a comprehensive technical analysis of Gamaredon’s toolset used to conduct its cyberespionage activities focused in Ukraine
HWPL, a South Korea-based NGO, issued a statement regarding the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine, and is calling for the support of youth worldwide.
The 02/24 factory is set up in a secret bunker, where the company can work in safety. It is in a location that is close enough to the war to get the supplies to soldiers in time, but far enough for it to be safe.
Since March, Harris Seeds has been assisting in the Ukrainian relief effort through a new campaign, Sunflowers for Ukraine.
Celebrated podumentary, Christ Today with Father Ray, returns with its groundbreaking season two premiere. Host, Raymond Brenner aims to provide comfort and direction in these turbulent times.
FemSMS, an innovative messaging program launched after the start of the 2022 escalation of war in Ukraine has received funding to enable it to continue to the end of 2023.
Also initiates programs in Mental Health, Women's Empowerment, Childhood Education and Health Care
The news about the Ukrainian elite hiding away from the military conflict is spread by Russian propagandists again. But how is the Russian elite itself doing?
Tomasz Rogala and Marcin Sanetra, Littler | PCS attorneys, and Lavanga Wijekoon discuss the legal assistance Littler’s Poland attorneys have given Ukrainians fleeing the recent conflict there.
Littler attorneys provide pro bono services in a variety of areas, depending on the interests of individual attorneys. The firm values and encourages the community-minded and pro bono efforts of our lawyers and staff.
Event Begins: Wednesday, November 13, 2024 8:00am
Location: Weiser Hall
Organized By: Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia
Joseph Sywenkyj is the 2024-25 Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia’s Distinguished Fellow, and a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. An award-winning American photographer of Ukrainian descent, Sywenkyj has lived and worked in Ukraine for the last two decades. He has worked throughout Europe and Central Asia for numerous publications and is a frequent contributor to *The Wall Street Journal*. His photographs have been exhibited in galleries and museums, including the United Nations Visitor’s Lobby in New York and the Taras Shevchenko National Museum in Kyiv.
If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.
There's been a lot of disagreement in Congress and in the country about whether the U.S. should continue to financially support the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Some taxpayers don't think the U.S. should give Ukraine any money to fight off Russia's invasion. And some taxpayers have concerns about how they might be funding weapons that have been used to kill civilians in Gaza. And there are questions about how much individual taxpayers contribute to war efforts, generally.
So in this episode, we attempt to do the math: The average taxpayers' contribution to Israel and Ukraine. It's not so simple. But in attempting to do this math, we get this window into the role of our tax dollars on foreign assistance, and how the U.S. sells weapons to other countries.
For links to some of the reports we looked at to report this episode, check out the episode page on NPR.org.
This episode was hosted by Sarah Gonzalez and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler and edited by Jess Jiang. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and engineered by Robert Rodriguez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.
Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.
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The Biden administration has approved a new $425 million weapons aid package for Ukraine, which includes providing Kyiv with additional munitions, counter-drone equipment and Stryker vehicles. The new security assistance […]
It has been more than a year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Ricky went to Ukraine to speak to children there about how the war has affected them. This is his special report, Ukraine: The Children's Story.
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 15 July 2016 launched the first distance course in Ukraine on the application of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
Developed, designed and produced by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, the course was finalized after it was successfully piloted on the online platform of the National School of Judges of Ukraine (NSJU).
From now the NSJU will have this sustainable tool at its disposal for systematically training judges on applying the case-law of the ECtHR without having to involve extra human or financial resources. Thirty judges from all over Ukraine have already been trained distantly and received their certificates of accomplishment.
The content was developed in co-operation with experts on the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the ECtHR, and Ukrainian judges.
The course was developed as part of the “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, which is being implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the International Renaissance Foundation supported a training session for eight board members of the Association of Legal Clinics in Ukraine on strategic planning, which was held in Bucha, Ukraine, on 30-31 May 2016.
The participants conducted brainstorming sessions on formulating the mission statement, main areas of practice, institutional development of the organization as well as an strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis of organizational capacity, and prepared a strategic plan for 2016-2018. They also learned about the best practices of organizational and institutional development from national and international experts.
Katarzyna Furman, board member of the European Network for Clinical Legal Education, and Filip Czernicki, board member of the Polish Legal Clinics Foundation, shared their experience of management standards and methods of improving efficiency.
The event was organized as part of the OSCE project aimed at supporting reform and development of legal education in Ukraine. The Project Co-ordinator also developed the first manual clinical legal education in Ukraine, which was an important component of quality and practice-oriented legal education.
The OSCE Project Co-ordinator on 15 July 2016 launched the first distance course in Ukraine on the application of the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
Developed, designed and produced by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator, the course was finalized after it was successfully piloted on the online platform of the National School of Judges of Ukraine (NSJU).
From now the NSJU will have this sustainable tool at its disposal for systematically training judges on applying the case-law of the ECtHR without having to involve extra human or financial resources. Thirty judges from all over Ukraine have already been trained distantly and received their certificates of accomplishment.
The content was developed in co-operation with experts on the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the ECtHR, and Ukrainian judges.
The course was developed as part of the “Safeguarding Human Rights through Courts” project, which is being implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine with the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Thirty experts were trained to deliver specialized training courses for judges on how to review corruption–related disputes and prevent corruption in the judiciary during a two-day session, organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine and the National School of Judges on 5-6 July 2016 outside Kyiv.
The trainees, judges-lecturers of five regional branches of the School, enhanced their knowledge of anti-corruption legislation, including national regulations and relevant international conventions, major aspects of judges’ ethics, including the identification and prevention of real and potential conflicts of interest, and judicial review of corruption-related disputes. The purpose of the session was to create a pool of experts able to deliver training courses for their peers at the National School of Judges on a regular basis.
According to the Judicial Education Concept adopted by the School, the training methodology was based on interactive techniques and included discussions, case studies, mini-lectures, various exercises and role plays, and screenings of short simulation videos on the topic.
To ensure the sustainability of OSCE efforts, the training course on anti-corruption will be submitted for institutionalization at the National School of Judges by the end of the year. This course will form part of the School’s mandatory curriculum for every judge appointed to the post.
The training session was part of a project by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine to enhance the quality of judicial education and training.
SLOVIANSK, Ukraine, 7 April 2016 – The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine, at a ceremony in Sloviansk, Donetsk region today, presented representatives of the Infrastructure Ministry’s State Special Transport Service with 15 sets of protective equipment, including vests and helmets, which are to be delivered to local deminers working along transport routes in the east of the country.
The State Special Transport Service is responsible for ensuring the safety of the transport network and for restoring railways and bridges destroyed by hostilities. This often involves clearing mines and unexploded ordnance that threaten civilian transportation routes.
“Safety of communications is extremely important in the context of sustainable post-conflict recovery, future peace and security in the region,” said Vaidotas Verba, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine. “I hope that with our help the Service will be in better position to swiftly and efficiently ensure safer conditions for the movement of people and goods in the conflict-affected areas.”
Since July 2014 the Service has cleared over 300 kilometres of railways in government-controlled areas of Donbas and disposed of more than 4,500 unexploded ordnance, mines and booby traps. This is among the more than 100,000 such dangerous items discovered and destroyed by all organizations working in the region, which are involved in dealing with these remnants of conflict.
To help Ukraine address this new challenge, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator is also training the country's humanitarian deminers on international mine action standards, helping to introduce a modern information management system to improve operations and the inter-agency co-ordination of efforts, and assisting in developing relevant legislation and standards.
Ways to increase the sustainability of social businesses by using social media marketing tools were discussed at a training session organized in Kyiv on 26 July 2016 by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.
The event gathered representatives of three social businesses that were established with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine so that they can provide job skills for people vulnerable to human trafficking. The social businesses also simultaneously serve as revenue sources for local NGOs working on anti-trafficking.
The training course focused on widespread social networks and ways of using them for increasing social enterprises’ profit, including the best use of social media to attract customers and gain their positive feedback. The participants had a chance to practice their digital skills and communication abilities during the hands-on exercises aimed at producing high-quality content for social networks.
Natalia Myakushko, Head of the Rukomysli Social Enterprise in Lviv, thanked the OSCE Project Co-ordinator for its continuous support. “The innovative idea of social business requires innovative tools for its development and this training helps us to use modern communication channels in an efficient way for the benefit of people vulnerable to human trafficking,” she said.
This is the first of three training sessions which will help social entrepreneurs develop a strategy for interacting with new media.
The training sessions are part of a project on preventing human trafficking in Ukraine through the economic empowerment of vulnerable persons, which is being implemented by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in co-operation with the Ukrainian Ministry of Social Policy, and with the support from the Canadian Government and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The project aims at the establishment of and support to social businesses that work to prevent human trafficking by providing beneficiaries with sufficient and sustainable income at home, giving them genuine and viable livelihood options, and therefore decreasing the likelihood of persons taking up deceptive job offers where they may be exploited.
So far, 52 people at risk of human trafficking, including 14 internally displaced people, two victims of domestic violence and one ex-combatant, as well as six people who were formerly subjected to human trafficking have already benefited from the job skills’ courses within these social businesses.
KYIV, 5 AUGUST 2016 –OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Madina Jarbussynova, on Friday concluded an official visit to Ukraine aimed at raising awareness of human trafficking and the risks encountered by the most vulnerable groups as a consequence of the current crisis.
During her five-day visit, she met with representatives of the Donetsk Oblast state administration and female Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Kramatorsk. Ambassador Jarbussynova also travelled to Kharkiv to talk to relevant civil society representatives about the situation on the ground, how to prevent the expansion of the conflict-driven human trafficking phenomenon, and to evaluate existing mechanisms of identifying, referring and assisting victims of trafficking in human beings.
“More than one-and-a-half million citizens have been displaced – a vast number that demands a comprehensive response,” Jarbussynova said. “This vulnerable group can easily find itself in situations where human trafficking may occur.”
In Kyiv, the OSCE Special Representative met with Ukrainian authorities to discuss progress in anti-trafficking measures and review future plans.
“The Government of Ukraine has recently demonstrated a high level of commitment to addressing human trafficking, particularly in enhancing its victim identification efforts and in filing cases to relevant courts”, said Jarbussynova.
At the same time, she noted that there are still considerable gaps in the National Referral Mechanism for victims, and that long-term, sustainable measures should be sought.
The Special Representative travels regularly to Ukraine, engaging with high-level authorities and holding training sessions together with the Special Monitoring Mission and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator to strengthen the capacity of the Ukrainian institutions and OSCE monitors to spot human trafficking trends and to report on alleged cases.
Improving the situation of Roma in Ukraine by enhancing co-operation between Roma civil society organizations and national and regional authorities was the focus of a roundtable meeting organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine in Kyiv on 24 November 2015.
Some 40 participants from Ukrainian national and regional authorities, Roma civil society and the international community, discussed the challenges faced by Roma in the areas of education, employment, housing and policing.
“Further efforts are needed to implement a strong anti-discrimination approach in all policies targeting the integration and protection of Roma and, in particular, of Roma women,” said Mirjam Karoly, ODIHR Senior Adviser on Roma and Sinti Issues. “Measurable progress at the local level can only be achieved if policies are needs-based and have concrete objectives that are matched with measurable indicators and realistic budgets.”
Andriy Vitrenko, Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine for European Integration, stated that the Ministry was tasked in 2013to facilitate the implementation of the Strategy on the Protection and Integration of the Roma National Minority into Ukrainian Society up to 2020. “In order to achieve the goals set out in the Strategy, close collaboration among a number of ministries at the national level and good co-ordination with regional and local level authorities are needed.”
During the meeting, the participants emphasized that many Roma lack personal documents, hindering them from exercising their fundamental, social and political rights.
Volodomyr Kondur, Chairperson of the Roma Coalition, said: “We welcome the adoption of national and regional policy documents addressing the problems Roma face, but we want to see effective and sustainable results and ask for ensuring involvement of the Roma civil society in all stages of policy implementation and evaluation.”
The roundtable meeting was organized as a follow-up to ODIHR’s Situation Assessment Report on Roma in Ukraine and the Impact of the Current Crises and in line with the 2003 OSCE Action Plan on Roma and Sinti.
KYIV, 15 July 2016 – The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine today opened a new sphere of project assistance to Ukraine – improving democratic control of defence and security sectors – with a presentation of international experience and best practices at a conference in Kyiv.
The event, co-organized with the Parliament and the Ministry of Defence, brought together more than 120 parliamentarians, military and civilian representatives of various ministries, experts, and civil society activists to learn about the basic principles in this area, as well as practical examples from other countries.
During the conference, the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and the OSCE Security Sector Governance and Reform Guidelines were presented. Ukrainian translations of these documents can be found at www.osce.org/fsc/41355 and www.osce.org/uk/secretariat/253156, respectively.
The participants discussed in detail the national models of parliamentary and civic control over the defence sectors of Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, and Norway.
“The ability of Parliament, and of society at large, to exercise control over its security services is a true litmus test for democracy and rule of law,” said Jeffrey Erlich, Senior Project Officer at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s Office. “Such oversight contributes to a much more effective security sector by rooting out corruption, and by strengthening the bond between society and the armed forces.”
Igor Dolgov, Deputy Minister of Defence, said: “For me there is no question of whether it is possible to simultaneously deal with current crisis and implement reforms in defense sectors, including strengthening mechanisms of democratic control over armed forces. It is needed and it is already happening.”
Until the end of the year, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator will provide expertise in developing a concept paper and implementation plan for democratic oversight; assist in promoting dialogue between the military, parliamentarians, experts and civic activists; and contribute to raising awareness among the public by publishing relevant online resources. Further assistance efforts will continue after 2016.
In partnering with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), the project will also draw on their expertise.
VIENNA, 20 July 2016 – OSCE media freedom representative Dunja Mijatović today condemned the murder of journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kyiv, Ukraine.
This morning, Sheremet, a journalist with Radio Vesti and the Ukrainskaya Pravda online media outlet, was killed in a car explosion.
“This killing and its circumstances must be swiftly and thoroughly investigated, and the perpetrators brought to justice,” Mijatović said, noting President Petro Poroshenko’s strong condemnation of the act and immediate action to investigate. “We have lost a prominent and dedicated journalist and my sincere condolences go out to Sheremet’s family, friends and colleagues.”
Sheremet, originally of Belarus and recipient of the 2002 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Prize for Journalism and Democracy (www.osce.org/pa/54293), worked as a journalist in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia during his career.
“This morning’s gruesome incident reminds us all that the safety situation for journalists in Ukraine must be addressed effectively and timely,” Mijatović said.
The Representative recalled the murder of the prominent Ukrainian journalist Georgyi Gongadze in 2001, the founder of Ukrainskaya Pravda, and reiterated her call on the authorities to fully investigate that crime.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more atwww.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.
KYIV, 20 May 2015 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will hold its regular news briefing tomorrow in Kyiv.
Alexander Hug, the SMM’s Deputy Chief Monitor, will talk about the recent Mission’s activities and the general security situation throughout Ukraine.
Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing tomorrow, 21 May, at 13:15 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at 2 Khreshchatyk street, Ukrainian house.
Live online streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng
KYIV, 18 February 2016 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will hold its regular news briefing tomorrow in Kyiv.
Alexander Hug, the SMM’s Principal Deputy Chief Monitor, will talk about the recent Mission’s activities and the general security situation throughout Ukraine.
Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing tomorrow, 19 February, at 15:30 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at 2 Khreshchatyk street, Ukrainian house.
Live online streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng.
KYIV, 7 June 2016 – The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) will hold its regular news briefing tomorrow in Kyiv.
Alexander Hug, the SMM’s Principal Deputy Chief Monitor, will talk about the recent activities of the Mission and the general security situation throughout Ukraine.
Journalists are invited to attend the news briefing tomorrow, 8 June, at 10:30 (Kyiv time), at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre, at 2 Khreshchatyk street, Ukrainian house.
Live online streaming of the news briefing will be available at http://uacrisis.org/ru/stream/#eng
Pamela Falk, CBS News Foreign Affairs Analyst, discusses the latest in Ukraine and President Obama ruling out a military intervention, but leaving open the possibility of placing even more economic sanctions on Russia.
Maj. Mike Lyons (Ret.), CBS News Military Analyst, discusses the latest in Ukraine and what President Poroshenko is hoping for from the NATO summit later this week.
Marina Tovar, counterintelligence and cyber team lead at the Counterterrorism Group, joins host Derrick Dortch to discuss how cyberwarfare is being used in the war in Ukraine, and the rise in ransomware attacks around the world.
The post Cyber warfare in Ukraine first appeared on Federal News Network.
Officials say the United States has given its approval for the Netherlands and Denmark to deliver F-16s to Ukraine. The defense ministers of those two NATO countries announced the decision Friday. It is a major gain for Kyiv even though the fighter jets won’t have an impact any time soon on the almost 18-month war. It was not immediately clear when the first F-16s might enter the conflict. Denmark says it will hand over some of its F-16s only after receiving its new F-35 jet fighters, which are due to start arriving on Oct. 1. Officials have previously said that Ukrainian pilots will need six to eight months of training on the F-16s.
The post Ukraine will get F-16 fighter jets from the Dutch and Danes after the US agrees to allow transfers first appeared on Federal News Network.
Ukrainian authorities have arrested a 28-year-old man in Khmelnytskyi for running an illicit virtual private network (VPN) service that enabled access to the Russian segment of the internet, known as Runet.
Alexander Kulabukhov is up at 5 am on Feb. 24, jolted awake by the explosions in his neighborhood…
Updated at 3:36 p.m. E.D.T. on December 4. President Trump may have been involved with a change to the Republican Party campaign platform last year that watered down support for U.S. assistance to Ukraine, according to new information from someone who was involved. Diana Denman, a Republican delegate who supported arming U.S. allies in Ukraine, has told people that Trump aide J.D. Gordon said at the Republican Convention in 2016 that Trump directed him to support weakening that position in the official platform. Ultimately, the softer position was adopted. Denman is scheduled to meet this week with the House and Senate Intelligence committees to discuss what she saw, said two sources familiar with the briefings. Investigators in Congress and elsewhere want to ask the San Antonio-area woman about how her proposal supporting Ukraine changed in the course of last year's convention. People familiar with the story described it to NPR. Robert N. Driscoll, a Washington-based lawyer for Denman
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: A bipartisan delegation of Congresspeople is just back from Ukraine. It was a trip designed to strengthen the U.S.-Ukraine alliance, and it was planned before news broke of the whistleblower complaint against President Trump involving that same country. Congressman John Garamendi led the delegation as a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. And the Democrat from California joins us now. Welcome, Congressman. JOHN GARAMENDI: Good to be with you. SHAPIRO: One central question in the impeachment inquiry is whether President Trump demanded help investigating a political rival in exchange for U.S. aid to Ukraine. And I know that aid was a central topic on your trip, so what did you learn about Ukraine's reliance on American assistance? GARAMENDI: Well, first of all, Ukraine is an extraordinary country. These citizens of that country are determined to be independent. They have been fighting a war against Russia for the last five years. They've lost 13- to 14