We’ve got a breaking story for you tonight. It’s exclusive, it’s explosive, and it’s all about President Biden’s big aid to Ukraine. So, stay tuned for the lowdown on what’s really going on behind the scenes.
RealClearInvestigations has dived into the close relationship between Ukrainian American millionaire and Biden supporter, John Hynansky, and President Biden that raises questions about potential conflicts of interest amid the U.S. government’s substantial aid to Ukraine. As Russia’s aggression towards Kiev escalated in February 2022, the Biden administration has allocated $77 billion in aid, encompassing both humanitarian and economic assistance, as well as military support.
Hynansky, a financial backer of President Biden, owns luxury car dealerships around the Ukrainian capital and has longstanding ties with the Biden family. Having contributed over $100,000 to Biden’s political campaigns, hosted family members at the White House, and extended substantial loans, the Hynanskys have established a close connection with the president.
With the significant portion of U.S. aid directed towards unspecified areas like “security,” “intelligence,” and “training,” concerns have been raised by government ethics watchdogs about the potential conflict of interest. The ambiguity surrounding the utilization of military assistance and the historical involvement of Hynansky in supplying police cars and ambulances in Ukraine adds to the need for a thorough investigation into how the aid has been employed and who stands to benefit from it.
The Biden administration’s proactive assistance to John Hynansky’s team in Ukraine ahead of the Russian invasion, including advance calls to his top executive, has raised ethical concerns due to the financial ties between Hynansky and the Biden family. The administration’s substantial aid, running into billions of dollars, has been directed towards rebuilding war-torn cities where Hynansky’s car showrooms and service centers, specializing in luxury brands like Porsches, Jaguars, Land Rovers, and Bentleys, are prominent.
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While supporting Ukraine enjoys bipartisan support, the close relationship between President Biden and Hynansky amplifies broader ethical questions surrounding the president’s ties to individuals with financial interests directly impacted by his endorsed policies. Past incidents, such as Biden’s intervention in Ukrainian affairs during his tenure as Vice President and recent revelations of dealings tied to China’s Communist government, have raised scrutiny about the ethical dimensions of his policy decisions.
In the context of ongoing concerns about money and politics, exemplified by the scrutiny of Justice Clarence Thomas’s connections, Biden’s friendship with Hynansky adds another layer of complexity. The relationship, dating back to 2009, when then-Vice President Biden praised Hynansky during a visit to Ukraine, underscores the need for transparency and scrutiny to address potential conflicts of interest in U.S. foreign policy.
After spending many months in the Ukrainian capital courting the vice president and local authorities, Hynansky was granted his first overseas development loan by the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation, or OPIC, a federal organization whose board was chosen by President Obama. With the $2.5 million, Hynansky started construction on a new corporate office and a sizable warehouse outside of Kiev, which gets 8,000 automobiles ready for sale annually. Based on federal documents, Hynansky expanded his dealership facilities in 2012 and was able to secure an additional $20 million in finance from OPIC. This allowed him to capture almost 25% of the luxury automobile market in Ukraine.
“The proceeds of the loan will be used to construct and operate two new, state-of-the-art dealership facilities for Porsche and Land Rover/Jaguar automobiles, and repay any outstanding balance of an existing OPIC loan,” according to a 2012 OPIC financing document.
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The terms of the OPIC loans specify that all vehicles sold at Hynansky’s dealerships would be imported from Europe rather than the United States, excluding American-based automakers from benefiting from the taxpayer-backed venture. The loan’s “U.S. economic impact” section outlines that job creation resulting from the deal would occur in the “host country, Ukraine,” not in the United States. Additionally, the loan terms include a deferment of Hynansky’s principal payments for almost three years during the construction phase, characterized as a “grace period” in the OPIC document.
In the subsequent year, while serving as Obama’s envoy in Ukraine, Joe Biden actively advocated for the removal of the country’s Russia-friendly president and played a role in establishing a coalition government in 2014. Simultaneously, he pledged millions in aid for the Ukrainian energy industry. During this period, Hunter Biden, a close childhood friend of Hynansky’s daughter, Alexandra (a listed sponsor on the OPIC loans), was appointed to the board of Burisma.
In 2015, financial strains hit Joe Biden’s younger brother, James, and sister-in-law, Sara, after acquiring a beach house in Florida. Faced with nearly $700,000 in tax liens and contractor debts, the Bidens sought assistance from Hynansky instead of a traditional lender. The car dealer extended loans totaling $900,000 to alleviate their financial challenges.
The bailout coincided with Hynansky’s influential American associate overseeing U.S. policy in Ukraine, and during this period, OPIC granted new loans for the construction of a 7,300-square-foot Porsche dealership along the highway connecting downtown Kiev to Boryspil International Airport.
Initially identified as “1018 PL, LLC” in mortgage records, obscuring Hynansky’s role as the lender, subsequent revelations in a 2018 document disclosed that the corporate entity is under Hynansky’s control.
The Bidens eventually sold the waterfront house in 2018, and Hynansky released his lien on the property. However, the documents recorded in Collier County, Fla., did not confirm full payment and satisfaction of the loans.
Despite attempts to contact James Biden for comments being unsuccessful, Hynansky maintains political connections in both Kiev and Washington. Ukrainian President Zelensky considers him a good friend and has bestowed state awards on him, while Kiev Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko shares a close relationship with the prominent Wilmington businessman.
In August 2021, Hynansky secured a $24 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to expand his Ukraine operations into electric vehicles, including the construction of new Renault and Volvo dealerships in Lviv. Notably, the U.S., a founding member of EBRD providing 10% of its capital, aligns with the Biden administration’s emphasis on promoting such “green” initiatives.
“In the near future, we intend to increase our presence on the Ukrainian market,” Hynansky’s top official in Ukraine, Petro Rondiak, said at the time.
The White House declined to respond to inquiries regarding President Biden’s relationship with Hynansky. While the president remains silent about his involvement in Ukraine concerning Hynansky and his businesses, he has consistently refuted any suggestion that his son’s Burisma dealings influenced his official actions in Ukraine. This included allocating over $50 million in U.S. support for the Ukrainian energy industry, a package Biden personally announced in Kiev a month before Burisma hired his son in 2014.
Amid Republican investigations into whether these funds were directed to benefit his son’s business interests, a less-explored angle is whether U.S. tax money has been utilized to safeguard or enhance Hynansky’s investments in Ukraine. Paul Kamenar, counsel to the National Legal and Policy Center, expressed concerns that Biden’s dealings with Ukraine may prioritize his political fortunes over the national interest.
Winner Group Ukraine, Hynansky’s conglomerate housing many dealerships, is predominantly situated around the Kiev airport. Despite the American head of Winner Group Ukraine fleeing the country after Russia’s invasion, a spokesperson at Hynansky’s Delaware headquarters confirmed the dealerships remain operational. Collectively, his Ukrainian subsidiary oversees approximately 55 dealerships and service centers, providing employment for more than 800 workers.
The enhanced security around Kiev airport, facilitated by the shipment of U.S. weaponry, including Stinger missiles, howitzers, and Abrams tanks, has significantly improved the safety of properties in the vicinity. This improvement allowed President Biden to utilize the train station just 19 miles away to visit Ukrainian President Zelensky during February’s invasion anniversary. While Boryspil International Airport remains closed, Ukrainian forces have successfully regained control of strategically important suburbs near the airport.
With Republicans in control of the House, there is a looming threat to curtail aid to Ukraine and scrutinize the substantial funds allocated by the Biden administration and the Democratic-controlled Congress. Winner executives, overseeing Hynansky’s conglomerate, have been advocating for increased U.S. military aid and direct intervention by President Biden and other Western leaders. Even before the invasion, Winner reported its most successful year in Ukraine.
Rondiak, Hynansky’s top executive in Ukraine, has been vocal in urging greater military intervention from the U.S. and the West, proposing the establishment of a “no-fly zone” over Ukrainian airspace. Expressing urgency, he called for an escalation in the flow of weapons and a military counteroffensive to punish Putin. Despite a downturn in car sales, Rondiak highlighted that virtually all of Hynansky’s dealerships are operational in Ukraine, crediting the Biden administration’s support. He also commended the State Department for issuing a warning two weeks before the invasion, prompting him to leave Kiev for his own safety.
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Moreover, President Biden has committed to an indefinite continuation of U.S. financial support for Ukraine, emphasizing an unprecedented spending commitment “as long as it takes.” Notably, U.S. aid to Ukraine far surpasses contributions from other nations, with Britain providing less than 10% of the support despite ranking second in total aid, according to Council on Foreign Relations data.
In light of concerns about potential misuse or wasteful spending, Paul Kamenar suggested the possibility of appointing a special inspector general to audit U.S. expenditures in Ukraine. This suggestion draws parallels to the model adopted in Afghanistan, where Congress created a special inspector general to monitor U.S. aid and reconstruction contracts.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has expressed suspicions about the potential for fraudulent and wasteful spending in Ukraine, highlighting the need for scrutiny, especially considering the significant amount of U.S. tax dollars being allocated to support the country.
“I know some of the tax dollars are going for ammunition. I know some of it’s going for humanitarian aid,” Rep. Comer told CNN last week. “But we hear that not all of it is.”
Critics of the Biden administration argue that President Biden has struggled to articulate why supporting Ukraine aligns with America’s interests. Despite this criticism, Biden’s financial ties with John Hynansky, a key supporter and financial backer, add a layer of complexity to his administration’s intense focus on the embattled country. Surprisingly, these financial entanglements have largely gone unreported in news coverage, raising questions about transparency.
John Hynansky’s investments in Ukraine, initiated with Joe Biden’s assistance, predate the more widely known business dealings involving Hunter Biden’s lucrative oil and gas deal in the country. This early collaboration between Biden and Hynansky sheds light on the enduring nature of their relationship and underscores the interconnectedness of financial interests and political decisions.
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