(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fire his ambassador to the U.S. over Zelenskyy’s controversial visit to Pennsylvania on Sunday.
During the visit, Zelenskyy, along with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, toured an American manufacturing site. Republicans were allegedly excluded from the event, prompting Johnson to call out its partisan nature.
“The tour was clearly a partisan campaign event designed to help Democrats and is clearly election interference,” Johnson wrote in a letter addressed to Zelenskyy.
After organizing a partisan campaign event in a battleground state this week, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova demonstrated she cannot be trusted to fairly and effectively serve as a diplomat in this country.
President Zelenskyy must immediately remove her. pic.twitter.com/7GmN1NECBs— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) September 25, 2024
“This shortsighted and intentionally political move has caused Republicans to lose trust in Ambassador Markarova’s ability to fairly and effectively serve as a diplomat in this country. She should be removed from her post immediately,” the Republican speaker continued.
The letter echoed the criticism directed at the event after Zelenskyy and Shapiro were seen touring the facility, during which both men signed an artillery shells. Shapiro is a high-profile campaign surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Zelenskyy just essentially endorsed Kamala in Pennsylvania while with Josh Shapiro autographing ammunition.
He called Trump and Vance “radical”. He also said Trump has no idea how to end the war.
How is this not some sort of violation from a man who we are funding? pic.twitter.com/HTfM9VkPsz
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) September 23, 2024
In the letter, Johnson reminded Zelenskyy of his previous pleas to Ukrainian officials “‘captured by American domestic politics,’ and ‘influencing the choices of the American people’ ahead of the November election.”
He emphasized that this objective was “abandoned” and that Markarova is to blame. “These incidents cannot be repeated. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter, and I trust you will take immediate action,” he concluded.
It isn’t immediately clear whether Zelenskyy will fire his ambassador or whether she will step down voluntarily.
Markarova and the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to Headline USA’s request for comments sent via email on Wednesday evening.
In the letter, Johnson also delivered a stark warning against foreign meddling and opining in American elections.
Zelenskyy was in the U.S. to present his alleged plan to defeat Russia, the neighboring country with which Ukraine is currently at war.
