Hunter Biden’s presence on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma occurred in conjunction with broader efforts by the United States and other countries to develop influence networks in Ukraine, former Biden business partner Devon Archer said on Friday.
Archer worked alongside Biden in developing a relationship with Burisma, which was under investigation by then-Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Shokin. Shokin was later fired from the position after pressure from officials including then-US Vice President Joe Biden.
“That’s the prize, being able to have, whether it’s on speakerphone or in person, to have that person [Joe Biden] in direct contact… The prize is that contact and that access to power,” Archer said in an interview with Tucker Carlson, when asked about Hunter Biden’s role on Burisma’s board.
Joe Biden joined Hunter Biden and his business associates more than 20 times either in person or via speakerphone, Archer said earlier this week in testimony to lawmakers.
The interactions between Joe Biden and his son’s business associates constituted an “abuse of soft power,” Archer said in a previous interview with Carlson.
There was constant pressure to leverage the “Biden brand” and ties to the US government to help Burisma, Archer said.
However, the connection that Biden forged between Burisma and the US government was among a number of efforts by the US and other foreign actors to establish ties and influence in Ukraine, Archer said.
“I think obviously it’s an important part of the world for different factions, different opposing East-West types of views. So yes, there were a lot of Americans lobbying: the US Agency for International Development, State Department officials,” Archer said, when asked if there were other US efforts to influence Ukraine at the time of Biden’s involvement with Burisma. “There is a lot of interest in Ukraine and who controls Ukraine.”
Acting US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, who served as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs from 2013-2017, had a particular amount of influence in Ukraine, Archer said.
Entities operating in Ukraine constantly tried to gain Nuland’s favour, Archer said, adding that she was somebody you “wanted on your good side.”
Archer’s testimony to Congress and public interviews come amid investigations by lawmakers into potential criminal activity by the Biden family, including bribery and influence peddling. Joe Biden has denied discussing foreign business deals with his son.
US House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said that Archer’s testimony confirms that Joe Biden’s claims of non-involvement are false.
