Does Trump's boat really need Shokin's wind, otherwise it won't float?

Pre-election fever worries not only the host at Bankova street, whose victory is a big question now. For the US president, the situation is also becoming more complex every day. It’s hard to call it critical so far, but this can only be a matter of time and significance of words that his once close partners and colleagues say. And they say a lot. The criticism of Michael Cohen alone, who spoke before the Committee on the Supervision of the House of Representatives. Donald Trump’s former lawyer admitted paying hush-money to those two women who allegedly had relationships with Trump.

He also said that he had lied about plans to build the Trump Tower skyscraper in Moscow, although the US president insisted that he had no ties with Russia.

It was the last argument connected with a potential rival, if not the enemy of America, that was of great interest to the Democrats, who are craving for revenge in the upcoming presidential elections.

Despite the Republicans brave that Cohen, they say, is a liar, a swindler and a crook, moreover, he has been convicted and will begin to serve his sentence in April, the developing situation is quite unpleasant to say the least. That will hardly result into impeachment, but might lower the polling numbers for president. It would seem as good timing for the Democrats to response with their own medicine, but where to get it? Here’s the most interesting part.
Donald Trump’s people are interested in something the former Ukraine Attorney General Viktor Shokin has. Will he get that out? Will Trump be under sail?

Viktor Shokin and US interest

Former Ukraine Attorney General Shokin is no stranger to Washington. His daughter Alina and two grandchildren live in America. All three are US citizens. But that's not all.

As it happens Donald Trump and Viktor Shokin have an opponent in common: ex-Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat and one of the candidates for the presidency in United States.
In terms of political competition, relationship between Trump and Biden, as representatives of two different parties, is quite obvious. Shokin has a personal resentment for Biden.

Firstly, Biden publicly called Former Ukraine Attorney General a “son of a bitch”, and secondly, former Vice-President admitted that he lobbied for Shokin’s dismissal by blackmailing the leadership of Ukraine.

Victor Shokin did not swallow that. Joe Biden’s scandalous statement formed the basis of the motion to the European Court of Human Rights on Shokin’s reinstatement, the author has learned.

Moreover, Shokin’s daughter announced upcoming lawsuit on the honor and dignity protection a year ago, because in her own words Biden insulted both her parents and herself. It was only in words so far, but there is a logical explanation to that too: Republicans might have persuaded into waiting until the time is right.

It would be a mistake to think that everything revolves around some hard feelings. No. Shokin’s pushback can become crucial in the clash of two parties for the presidency. It can be based on charges not moral and ethical, but of the criminal nature.

Victor Shokin and his "Pandora's Box"

Why did United States, and more precisely Joe Biden insist on dismissal of the Attorney General of a foreign country at the time? The Ukrainian media soon discovered a reason for this by linking Washington’s motives with Joe Biden’s personal interest and the business of his son Hunter, who was on the board of directors of the Ukrainian oil and gas company Burisma, which is associated with Nikolai Zlochevsky, one of the former and notorious members of Cabinet during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych. Being Attorney General, Viktor Shokin was actively involved in investigations of criminal cases against Zlochevsky and Burisma, he refused to close those cases and aimed to bring it to legal completion.

Such outrageous disobedience Joe Biden could not have forgiven. In other words, the Ukraine Attorney General did not interfere with the national interests of the United States, but resisted personal motives of Joe Biden and his family. Nevertheless, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko did pull the votes in the Parliament and secured a vote for change in leadership of the Attorney General’s Office. Justice heavyweight Viktor Shokin, who has been in the prosecutor’s office since 1980, was replaced by Yury Lutsenko.

Now three years later, the United States or rather new leadership of the country, is personally interested in Viktor Shokin’s return. From the Attorney General’s position only he will be able to finish the started work - collect evidence on the involvement of Zlochevsky and the Bidens (the father and the son) in illegal processes in Ukraine.

If so, that will not only put an end to the anti-corruption rhetoric of a possible US presidential candidate, but to the candidate himself as a politician. Will it cast a shadow on the party he represents? It depends on Shokin and the content of his Pandora’s Box. They say there are lots of interesting things in it.

On United States participation in restoration of Viktor Shokin, or Who will make it first to Washington.

Do US leadership’ representatives take part in restoring Viktor Shokin in position of Ukraine Attorney General? The author has learned that they do. There is information on several trips of Viktor Shokin to Vienna, where he had a conversation about his reinstatement in office. The time will prove what was the outcome of that dialogue.

By the way, the acting Attorney General does not waste it. At the end of January, Yuriy Lutsenko made unofficial but quite significant visit to the United States, and only few people knew the reason of that visit, prior to publication of this text.
Is it possible to say that Lutsenko did make it to Washington, but has to be standing in line after Shokin? Rather yes, than no. First, the former-future Attorney General is closer mentally to Donald Trump. Secondly, he has a personal interest in putting pressure on Biden. And thirdly, which is very important, he knows how to push with no consideration of instructions from upstairs. For Shokin such instructions would stand far behind the investigator’s passion.

In other words, Shokin is real big in prosecuting criminals.
As for Lutsenko’s sprint, the questions may come up. The record shows that Lutsenko has flown over to United States several times.

What are the chances for Viktor Shokin?

Let’s be clear here: if Washington approves Shokin – there will not be lots of thinking over in Kiev, because for Ukrainian government it is a question of existence.
The only question is how will Ukrainian public resist. No doubt it will, because while in office Viktor Shokin devoted most of his time to the investigation work and did not do publicity. Which is why Shokin wasn’t ready for the information attack pushed by Joe Biden and Ukrainian media, which are funded through American grants. But if you dig deeper, beside dubious allegations of corruption that Shokin was plastered with from head to toe, he is an excellent candidate for position of the Head of the GPU.

Here are some of the facts from his biography that the public will appreciate. Shokin comes from an ordinary working family, and grew up in poverty. His father fought in World War II, and was medaled. He also managed to get an education, worked as communications mechanic. Shokin’s mother had 8 brothers and sisters, and worked at the metropolitan railway station.

The family lived in a room of nine square meters, in a barrack on Polovetska street of Kyiv, later moved to Saksaganskogo Street, into a room six meters bigger. Shokin Jr. studied in Ukrainian school, which was politically incorrect at that time, but that was his parents’ decision.

Shokin later enters Agricultural Academy, the Forest Management Faculty. He would have been planting trees eventually, but his great passion for sports has led him to a serious injury. Then there was the Army Service, where the conscript soldier had enough time to think about his future. First Shokin turned out in Kharkov Legal Institute, and after that - the prosecutor's office of the Moscow district of Kiev.

Viktor Shokin became known in 1994 after the investigation team he was in charge of has brought the case of the infamous White Brotherhood to court. That was an achievement, considering tremendous pressure from adepts who went on a hunger strike.

That same year, Shokin takes charge of the metropolitan prosecutor's office division active in fight against organized crime. The position was unique, because it was subordinated to the head of the GPU. Shokin’s unit was endowed not only with autonomy, but with special powers and a staff of fifty people. Shokin justified the credit of trust, but their successes swapped him off his feet.
In 1997, despite guidance from the leadership, Shokin decided to run for Parliament and lost the election. The defeat was followed by professional exile as special investigator in Attorney General’s Office. But here, too, Shokin has shown great results. One of the most notorious cases was the case of Gromov from Zaporozhye gang, which Shokin investigated while on a three-year mission. Seventeen people went on trial, three of them who took part in the killings were sentenced to death.
In 2001 another conflict with the leadership forced Shokin to retire to his first, but not last, pension period. He returned to work the following year, as Deputy Attorney General. Shokin solved the case of murder of journalist Georgy Gongadze, but the case led to political repercussions – yet another retirement.

After returning to work again in 2005, Shokin investigated cases of such political heavyweights as Kushnarev and Kolesnikov. Later there were numerous retirements and returns due to disagreement not only with the leadership of the GPU, but also with President Yanukovych.
Shokin’s success Attorney Prosecutor General is obvious and undeniable:

- conducted the only to date reform of the Prosecutor's office, reduced staff by 25%.
- was the first Attorney General to share the influence and powers, transferring them to self-government bodies that were created on his own initiative: the Qualification and Disciplinary commission and the Council of Prosecutors.
- created the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office and thereby gave the green light to work of NABU (National Anti Corruption Bureau.
- initiated creation of the GPU General Inspectorate in order to identify corruption within the administration.

To act or not to act?

There are several ways for Viktor Shokin to return. The first and most effective is the ECHR. If the court proves that the rights of the former Ukraine Attorney General were violated, he returns to the chair without obligations to anyone. The second is with the help from United States and their lobbyists. If so, Shokin would be involved in Biden’s case not only for personal pleasure, but with obligations. And the third way is the most unpredictable and indefinite, because it depends on turn of political elites in Ukraine. Considering the vote in Parliament statutory for appointing Attorney General, which is not only unlikely procedure, but also an expensive one, the new president (if he is new) might find it easier to return Shokin& Surely, if it suits Shokin himself.

Viktor Shokin is certainly more useful to Washington than anyone else in his place as Head of the GPU. But either Trump's people are not in a hurry with his return, delaying this card closer to their presidential election, Shokin himself started the game. According to sources in the Border Service, Viktor Shokin has traveled to Europe almost every week or two in the last six months alone. Though he wasn’t considered as frequent traveler before.

The major destination was Vienna, Austrian capital known as the center for international lobbyists of all kinds. Perhaps the question whether Ukrainian wind will fill the American sail is being considered there.

Roman Revedzhuk, Journalist, special for Euromedia24.