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Why does Ukraine have such a corruption problem?

President Trump is facing a trial in the Senate over accusations he sought foreign help to smear a likely election rival. How did Ukraine鈥檚 chequered past lead to his impeachment?

On 25 July 2019, the President of the United States made a phone call to the recently-elected President of Ukraine - congratulating him on his party鈥檚 election victory. What Donald Trump said in that call to Volodymyr Zelensky has ended up threatening his own presidency, triggering the impeachment of the president. Donald Trump says his interest was in rooting out corruption. Meanwhile Joe Biden鈥檚 role in Ukraine was to do the same - root out corruption. The Inquiry asks why Ukraine has such a corruption problem.

Presented by Ruth Alexander.

(A Ukrainian flag flies in Independence Square in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Photo credit: Pavlo Gonchar/Getty Images)

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23 minutes

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Mon 20 Jan 2020 09:06GMT
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  • The Inquiry

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