Accusations of election interference have been thrown at Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, by House Speaker Mike Johnson. The Speaker demanded that President Zelensky fire Markarova for organizing a partisan campaign event in Pennsylvania that excluded Republicans intentionally.
Johnson expressed his party’s lack of trust in Markarova’s ability to serve in the US and urged for her immediate removal. The relationship between the US and Ukraine is strained further when Zelensky and others in Kiev speak negatively about Republican candidates in the media, Johnson added.
Meanwhile, Zelensky criticized Trump and described Vance as ‘too radical,’ disagreeing with his ceasefire proposal. Zelensky’s stance on peace involves reclaiming all disputed territories, including Crimea, a position Moscow rejects.
The Speaker’s letter follows Republican lawmakers calling for an inquiry into Zelensky’s visit, accusing Democrats of using military assets to support Harris’s campaign inappropriately. The situation highlights the complexities and tensions in US-Ukraine relations amidst domestic and international political dynamics.