Trump advisers secretly lobbied Yanukovych’s interests in USA – media

"The lobbying included attempts to gain positive press coverage of Ukrainian officials by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and AP," the article reads. In addition, lobbyists helped to undercut sympathy for Yulia Tymoshenko, an imprisoned rival of then-President Viktor Yanukovych. As evidenced by the e-mails, Gates directed Washington lobbying firms, Mercury LLC and the Podesta Group Inc. within the period between 2012 and 2014. Earlier, Manafort said that he had never worked for the governments of Ukraine and Russia. Gates declined to comment.