Gordon Sondland Gordon SondlandGOP chairman vows to protect whistleblowers following Vindman retirement over 'bullying' Top Democrat slams Trump's new EU envoy: Not 'a political donor's part-time job' Trump names new EU envoy, filling post left vacant by impeachment witness Sondland MORE, 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 Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida 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."

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Sondland, a key witness in the House's ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick 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 Giuliani Rudy GiulianiThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting CIA found Putin 'probably directing' campaign against Biden: report Democrats fear Russia interference could spoil bid to retake Senate MORE as well as conversations with Trump.

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