When asked if Pence was aware of the quid pro quo, Parnas said, "I'm going to use a famous quote from [Ambassador Gordon] Sondland.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Parnas said that Pence was scheduled to be a guest at Zelenskiy's inauguration.
But Parnas told Zelenskiy's senior aide Sergei Schaffer that if the investigation were not announced, then the relationship between Ukraine and the U.S. would become "sour.".
"It was particularly Vice President Mike Pence.".
Parnas said he was positive Pence canceled his trip to the inauguration because of the disagreement between the U.S. and Ukraine.
"Why would President Zelenzkiy's inner circle, or Minister Avakov, or all these people, or President Poroshenko meet with me?" »