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Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, told Congress on Thursday that he had no knowledge of the Trump administration allegedly withholding foreign aid in exchange for information on former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump says lawmakers should censure Schiff Schiff says committees will eventually make impeachment inquiry transcripts public Trump threat lacks teeth to block impeachment witnesses MORE or his son Hunter.

“Let me state clearly: Inviting a foreign government to undertake investigations for the purpose of influencing an upcoming U.S. election would be wrong,” Sondland said in the closed-door hearing, according to his opening statement. “Withholding foreign aid in order to pressure a foreign government to take such steps would be wrong.”

Sondland, a key witness in the House’s ongoing impeachment inquiry into President TrumpDonald John TrumpGOP congressman slams Trump over report that U.S. bombed former anti-ISIS coalition headquarters US to restore ‘targeted assistance’ to Central American countries after migration deal Trump says lawmakers should censure Schiff MORE, said he “did not and would not ever participate in such undertakings.”

“In my opinion, security aid to Ukraine was in our vital national interest and should not have been delayed for any reason,” he said. In his statement, Sondland also describes his participation in key meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump attorney Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiTrump threat lacks teeth to block impeachment witnesses Sondland could provide more clues on Ukraine controversy Top US diplomat William Taylor scheduled to testify in impeachment probe MORE as well as conversations with Trump.

Read Sondland’s opening statement to the congressional committees below.