Ukraine is bitterly denying a BBC report that it paid Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, $400,000 to set up a meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.
Poroshenko's office calls the story a "blatant lie, slander and fake." Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko tells VOA he is "very sorry" to hear that even "the most notable Western media outlets don't abide by the principle of balanced reporting and don't attempt to get the other side of the story."
According to the BBC, Poroshenko desired to meet with Trump in 2017. He wanted to open a so-called back channel to Trump because Ukrainian lobbyists in Washington could only arrange a brief photo opportunity and handshake. Poroshenko wanted much more and something that could be portrayed as full talks with the U.S. president.
The BBC said two Poroshenko intermediaries paid Cohen at least $400,000 and as much as $600,000 to set up the meeting.
There is no indication Trump knew about the payment.
There has been no comment from the White House on the BBC report. Cohen and the two Ukrainian intermediaries have denied it.