US&nbsp;President<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-stocks-rattled-after-donald-trump-says-no-deadline-on-us-china-trade-deal-266025"> Donald&nbsp;Trump</a>&nbsp;solicited foreign interference to boost his re-election chances, undermined national security and ordered an "unprecedented" campaign to obstruct Congress,&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;said on Tuesday in a report that lawmakers will use as the basis of any formal&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;charges.

In the 300-page report,&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;leading the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee levelled allegations of sweeping abuse of&nbsp;power&nbsp;by&nbsp;Trump, saying he used US&nbsp;military aid and the prospect of a White House visit to pressure Ukrainian President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/comedian-volodymyr-zelenskiy-leads-presidential-polls-207124">Volodymyr Zelenskiy</a> to undertake investigations that would benefit&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;politically.

Republican&nbsp;Trump, who will stand for re-election in November 2020, denies any wrongdoing and calls the inquiry a hoax.

The heart of the&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;probe&nbsp;is whether&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;misused the&nbsp;power&nbsp;of his office to pressure Ukraine to investigate the son of former Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-unveils-17-trillion-climate-plan-to-end-us-carbon-emissions-by-2050-224374">Joe Biden</a>, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;in the 2020 election.

Watch: Donald Trump impeachment hearings set for December 4

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&nbsp;

The public release of the report is a milestone in a weeks-long investigation into whether&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;should be removed from office over his dealings on Ukraine. It summarizes hours of private testimony and televised hearings in which former government officials described a months-long effort to pressure Ukraine to carry out the investigations sought by&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;in July.

The report's completions hands the process over to the House Judiciary Committee, which will now be responsible for drafting actual articles of&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;should lawmakers decide to move forward. That panel will begin proceedings on Wednesday.

In the report,&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;detail accusations that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;obstructed their investigation, including refusing to provide documents and testimony from his top advisers, unsuccessful attempts to block career government officials from testifying and intimidation of witnesses.

The&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;argue that "damage will be long-lasting and potentially irrevocable if the President’s ability to stonewall Congress goes unchecked."

Making their case to move forward with&nbsp;impeachment, the report said that "any future President will feel empowered to resist an investigation into their own wrongdoing, malfeasance, or corruption, and the result will be a nation at far greater risk of all three."

In a news conference, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff described&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;as a "president who believes that he is beyond indictment, beyond&nbsp;impeachment, beyond any form of accountability and indeed above the law."

Trump, who is in London for a NATO summit, repeated accusations that&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;are using the&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;process to engage in a politically-motivated attack seeking to undo the results of the 2016 presidential election by removing him from office. Opinion polls show Americans are bitterly divided over&nbsp;impeachment.

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;had conducted a "one-sided sham process" that had failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by&nbsp;Trump.

"This report reflects nothing more than their frustrations. Chairman Schiff’s report reads like the ramblings of a basement blogger straining to prove something when there is evidence of nothing,” Grisham said in a statement.

Lawmakers and the public have heard testimony from current and former officials that military aid was withheld from Ukraine and that a White House meeting with Zelenskiy was conditioned on Kiev announcing a&nbsp;probe&nbsp;into Biden, as well as one into a debunked conspiracy theory about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US&nbsp;election.

The report was approved by the intelligence panel on a partisan vote on Tuesday evening. The vote was 13-9. It was not immediately clear how each member voted.

If the full House eventually votes to approve formal&nbsp;impeachment&nbsp;charges, a trial would be held in the Republican-led US&nbsp;Senate, where a two-thirds majority of those present would be required to convict&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;and remove him from office.

The report also brought to light new allegations by&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;about phone calls between&nbsp;Trump's Republican allies.

The report suggested wrongdoing within the executive branch extended beyond&nbsp;Trump.

The report said many of&nbsp;Trump's "closest subordinates and advisors," including White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry aided&nbsp;Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine and withheld information from Congress. Senior administration officials declined to testify in the proceedings.

The report cited dozens of previously unreported phone records of contact between&nbsp;Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani’s associates, the House Intelligence Committee's top Republican, Devin Nunes, and the White House's Office of Management and Budget.

The phone records were obtained from AT&amp;T, the report says.

An AT&amp;T statement acknowledged the company complied with a request.

"Like all companies, we are required by law to provide information to government and law enforcement agencies," the statement said. "In all cases, we ensure that requests for assistance are valid and that we act in compliance with the law."

A spokesman for Nunes did not respond to a request for comment.

The report also sought to push back at a frequent defence of&nbsp;trump&nbsp;by Republican lawmakers - that the political novice was simply doing what all presidents do.

"The President’s misconduct was not an isolated occurrence, nor was it the product of a naïve president," the report argues.

Republicans, in an advance rebuttal report released on Monday, said&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;had not established that&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;had committed an impeachable offence.

Trump&nbsp;and other Republicans have suggested that Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who was on the board of a Ukrainian energy company, should be investigated for corruption. The Bidens have denied wrongdoing.

US President Donald Trump solicited foreign interference to boost his re-election chances, undermined national security and ordered an "unprecedented" campaign to obstruct Congress, Democrats said on Tuesday in a report that lawmakers will use as the basis of any formal impeachment charges.

US President Donald Trump solicited foreign interference to boost his re-election chances, undermined national security and ordered an "unprecedented" campaign to obstruct Congress, Democrats said on Tuesday in a report that lawmakers will use as the basis of any formal impeachment charges. In the 300-page report, Democrats leading the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee levelled allegations of sweeping abuse of power by Trump, saying he used US military aid and the prospect of a White House visit to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to undertake investigations that would benefit Trump politically. Republican Trump, who will stand for re-election in November 2020, denies any wrongdoing and calls the inquiry a hoax. The heart of the impeachment probe is whether Trump misused the power of his office to pressure Ukraine to investigate the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the 2020 election. Watch: Donald Trump impeachment hearings set for December 4 The public release of the report is a milestone in a weeks-long investigation into whether Trump should be removed from office over his dealings on Ukraine. It summarizes hours of private testimony and televised hearings in which former government officials described a months-long effort to pressure Ukraine to carry out the investigations sought by Trump in July. The report's completions hands the process over to the House Judiciary Committee, which will now be responsible for drafting actual articles of impeachment should lawmakers decide to move forward. That panel will begin proceedings on Wednesday. In the report, Democrats detail accusations that Trump obstructed their investigation, including refusing to provide documents and testimony from his top advisers, unsuccessful attempts to block career government officials from testifying and intimidation of witnesses. The Democrats argue that "damage will be long-lasting and potentially irrevocable if the President’s ability to stonewall Congress goes unchecked." Making their case to move forward with impeachment, the report said that "any future President will feel empowered to resist an investigation into their own wrongdoing, malfeasance, or corruption, and the result will be a nation at far greater risk of all three." In a news conference, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff described Trump as a "president who believes that he is beyond indictment, beyond impeachment, beyond any form of accountability and indeed above the law." Trump, who is in London for a NATO summit, repeated accusations that Democrats are using the impeachment process to engage in a politically-motivated attack seeking to undo the results of the 2016 presidential election by removing him from office. Opinion polls show Americans are bitterly divided over impeachment. White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said Democrats had conducted a "one-sided sham process" that had failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing by Trump. "This report reflects nothing more than their frustrations. Chairman Schiff’s report reads like the ramblings of a basement blogger straining to prove something when there is evidence of nothing,” Grisham said in a statement. Lawmakers and the public have heard testimony from current and former officials that military aid was withheld from Ukraine and that a White House meeting with Zelenskiy was conditioned on Kiev announcing a probe into Biden, as well as one into a debunked conspiracy theory about Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US election. The report was approved by the intelligence panel on a partisan vote on Tuesday evening. The vote was 13-9. It was not immediately clear how each member voted. If the full House eventually votes to approve formal impeachment charges, a trial would be held in the Republican-led US Senate, where a two-thirds majority of those present would be required to convict Trump and remove him from office. The report also brought to light new allegations by Democrats about phone calls between Trump's Republican allies. The report suggested wrongdoing within the executive branch extended beyond Trump. The report said many of Trump's "closest subordinates and advisors," including White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry aided Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine and withheld information from Congress. Senior administration officials declined to testify in the proceedings. The report cited dozens of previously unreported phone records of contact between Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani’s associates, the House Intelligence Committee's top Republican, Devin Nunes, and the White House's Office of Management and Budget. The phone records were obtained from AT&T, the report says. An AT&T statement acknowledged the company complied with a request. "Like all companies, we are required by law to provide information to government and law enforcement agencies," the statement said. "In all cases, we ensure that requests for assistance are valid and that we act in compliance with the law." A spokesman for Nunes did not respond to a request for comment. The report also sought to push back at a frequent defence of trump by Republican lawmakers - that the political novice was simply doing what all presidents do. "The President’s misconduct was not an isolated occurrence, nor was it the product of a naïve president," the report argues. Republicans, in an advance rebuttal report released on Monday, said Democrats had not established that Trump had committed an impeachable offence. Trump and other Republicans have suggested that Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who was on the board of a Ukrainian energy company, should be investigated for corruption. The Bidens have denied wrongdoing.

Democrats accuse Trump of abusing power, obstructing Congress' impeachment probe

Kurt Volker, a former diplomat who was involved in discussions to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government to investigate corruption, said on Tuesday he did not know that was effectively a request to investigate former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

U.S. Ambassador Volker says he did not know Ukraine corruption probe was tied to Biden

Russia will return three captured naval ships to Ukraine on Monday and is moving them to a handover location agreed with Kiev, Crimea's border guard service was cited as saying by Russian news agencies on Sunday.

A Reuters reporter in Crimea, which Russian annexed from Ukraine in 2014, earlier on Sunday saw coastguard boats pulling the three vessels through the Kerch Strait towards the Black Sea where they could potentially be handed over to Ukraine.

Ukraine has been pushing for their return as a goodwill gesture from Moscow ahead of a possible four-way peace summit on eastern Ukraine next month.

"In accordance with agreements reached with Ukraine three Ukrainian ships ... are being towed to a location agreed with the Ukrainian side for their handover, which will take place on November&nbsp;18," Crimea's border service said on Sunday, according to Russian news agencies.

Crimea's border service was not immediately available for comment on Sunday.

Russia seized the ships off the coast of Crimea in November last year after opening fire on them and wounding several sailors. Moscow said the ships - two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat - had illegally entered its territorial waters. Kiev denied that.

Russia returned the sailors who had been on board the ships to Ukraine in September as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported on Saturday that Moscow had decided to return the ships to Ukraine and that they would be towed into the Black Sea and handed over to Ukraine.

Various Russian media outlets have reported that the ships will be returned to Ukraine without their ammunition and documentation.

The move, if it happens, will be seen as a confidence-building measure ahead of the planned Ukraine summit.

The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in Paris on Dec. 9 in an attempt to advance efforts for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the French presidency said on Friday.

A Kremlin aide was less equivocal on Sunday, saying such a summit was possible this year but that no date had yet been agreed.

More than 13,000 people have been killed in the more than five-year-old conflict in east Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow`s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, which prompted Western sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy won a landslide election victory in April promising to end the conflict.

Russia will return three captured naval ships to Ukraine on Monday and is moving them to a handover location agreed with Kiev, Crimea's border guard service was cited as saying by Russian news agencies on Sunday.

Russia will return three captured naval ships to Ukraine on Monday and is moving them to a handover location agreed with Kiev, Crimea's border guard service was cited as saying by Russian news agencies on Sunday. A Reuters reporter in Crimea, which Russian annexed from Ukraine in 2014, earlier on Sunday saw coastguard boats pulling the three vessels through the Kerch Strait towards the Black Sea where they could potentially be handed over to Ukraine. Ukraine has been pushing for their return as a goodwill gesture from Moscow ahead of a possible four-way peace summit on eastern Ukraine next month. "In accordance with agreements reached with Ukraine three Ukrainian ships ... are being towed to a location agreed with the Ukrainian side for their handover, which will take place on November 18," Crimea's border service said on Sunday, according to Russian news agencies. Crimea's border service was not immediately available for comment on Sunday. Russia seized the ships off the coast of Crimea in November last year after opening fire on them and wounding several sailors. Moscow said the ships - two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat - had illegally entered its territorial waters. Kiev denied that. Russia returned the sailors who had been on board the ships to Ukraine in September as part of a prisoner exchange deal. Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported on Saturday that Moscow had decided to return the ships to Ukraine and that they would be towed into the Black Sea and handed over to Ukraine. Various Russian media outlets have reported that the ships will be returned to Ukraine without their ammunition and documentation. The move, if it happens, will be seen as a confidence-building measure ahead of the planned Ukraine summit. The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine will meet in Paris on Dec. 9 in an attempt to advance efforts for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the French presidency said on Friday. A Kremlin aide was less equivocal on Sunday, saying such a summit was possible this year but that no date had yet been agreed. More than 13,000 people have been killed in the more than five-year-old conflict in east Ukraine between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces. Relations between Ukraine and Russia collapsed following Moscow`s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, which prompted Western sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy won a landslide election victory in April promising to end the conflict.

Russia says it will return captured naval ships to Ukraine on Monday

The former US ambassador to Ukraine, whom President Donald Trump called "bad news" before firing her, will be in the spotlight on Friday when she testifies at the second day of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pelosi-says-trump-has-admitted-to-bribery-as-impeachment-probe-intensifies-262171">televised impeachment hearings</a>.

The session before the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, scheduled to begin at 9 am (1400 GMT), is part of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-hearings-focus-on-ukraine-pressure-campaign-in-first-day-261996">Democratic-led impeachment inquiry</a> that threatens Trump's presidency even as he seeks re-election in November 2020.

Marie Yovanovitch was removed from her post as ambassador to Kiev in May after coming under attack by Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, at a time when he was working to persuade Ukraine to carry out two investigations that would benefit the Republican president politically.

Giuliani was trying to engineer Ukrainian investigations of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and the former US vice president's son Hunter, who had served as a board member for the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, as well as a debunked conspiracy theory embraced by some Trump allies that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US election.

The focus of the impeachment inquiry is on a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was elected in May, to open the investigations.

Democrats are looking into whether Trump abused his power by withholding $391 million in US security aid to Ukraine as leverage to pressure Kiev. The money, approved by the US Congress to help a US ally combat Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country, was later provided to Ukraine.

Watch: Trump impeachment saga -&nbsp;Americans watch Trump probe live on TV

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Trump has denied any wrongdoing and calls the impeachment probe a sham.

The hearings may pave the way for the Democratic-led House to approve articles of impeachment - formal charges - against Trump. That would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to convict Trump of the charges and remove him from office. Republicans control the Senate and have shown little support for Trump's removal.

Yovanovitch, who has worked for both Republican and Democratic administrations, told lawmakers behind closed doors on October&nbsp;11 that Trump ousted her based on "unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives" after she came under attack by Giuliani. She also denied allegations by Trump allies that she was disloyal to him and said she did not know what Giuliani's motivations were for attacking her.

Yovanovitch said Giuliani's associates "may well have believed that their personal financial ambitions were stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine."

Trump called Yovanovitch "bad news" in the phone call to Zelenskiy and added that "she's going to go through some things," according to a White House summary. Zelenskiy told Trump: "I agree with you 100 per cent" that she was a "bad ambassador."

'Go big or go home'

In her private testimony to lawmakers, Yovanovitch also described how Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, had urged her to use Twitter to express support for Trump to save her job. "He said, you know, you need to go big or go home. You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the president," she said.

Three more public hearings are scheduled for next week.

Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Intelligence Committee member, said he hoped that Republican lawmakers treat Yovanovitch fairly.

"I hope that they treat her with the dignity she deserves, the respect that she deserves. By all accounts, she was an excellent member of the foreign service," Krishnamoorthi told Reuters.

Krishnamoorthi said the evidence suggested she was removed to make way for the Trump administration's "irregular channel" of diplomacy in crafting Ukraine policy personally beneficial to Trump in which Giuliani played a central role along with diplomats Sondland and Kurt Volker, as well as Energy Secretary Rick Perry.

The hearing comes a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that Trump already had admitted to bribery in the Ukraine scandal.

"The bribe is to grant or withhold military assistance in return for a public statement of a fake investigation into the elections," Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, told a news conference.

Pelosi's comments could offer a preview of articles of impeachment Democrats might put forward.

Two other career US diplomats, William Taylor and George Kent, testified on Wednesday in the first public hearing, expressing alarm over the pressure tactics on Ukraine by Giuliani for investigations that would benefit Trump politically.

Taylor is acting US ambassador to Ukraine. His aide David Holmes, who Taylor said overheard a July 26 telephone conversation in which Trump asked Sondland about progress in getting the Ukrainians to do the investigations, is due to appear before lawmakers in a private session on Friday.

The former US ambassador to Ukraine, whom President Donald Trump called "bad news" before firing her, will be in the spotlight on Friday when she testifies at the second day of televised impeachment hearings.

The former US ambassador to Ukraine, whom President Donald Trump called "bad news" before firing her, will be in the spotlight on Friday when she testifies at the second day of televised impeachment hearings. The session before the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, scheduled to begin at 9 am (1400 GMT), is part of the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry that threatens Trump's presidency even as he seeks re-election in November 2020. Marie Yovanovitch was removed from her post as ambassador to Kiev in May after coming under attack by Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, at a time when he was working to persuade Ukraine to carry out two investigations that would benefit the Republican president politically. Giuliani was trying to engineer Ukrainian investigations of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden and the former US vice president's son Hunter, who had served as a board member for the Ukrainian energy company Burisma, as well as a debunked conspiracy theory embraced by some Trump allies that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 US election. The focus of the impeachment inquiry is on a July 25 phone call in which Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was elected in May, to open the investigations. Democrats are looking into whether Trump abused his power by withholding $391 million in US security aid to Ukraine as leverage to pressure Kiev. The money, approved by the US Congress to help a US ally combat Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country, was later provided to Ukraine. Watch: Trump impeachment saga - Americans watch Trump probe live on TV × Trump has denied any wrongdoing and calls the impeachment probe a sham. The hearings may pave the way for the Democratic-led House to approve articles of impeachment - formal charges - against Trump. That would lead to a trial in the Senate on whether to convict Trump of the charges and remove him from office. Republicans control the Senate and have shown little support for Trump's removal. Yovanovitch, who has worked for both Republican and Democratic administrations, told lawmakers behind closed doors on October 11 that Trump ousted her based on "unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives" after she came under attack by Giuliani. She also denied allegations by Trump allies that she was disloyal to him and said she did not know what Giuliani's motivations were for attacking her. Yovanovitch said Giuliani's associates "may well have believed that their personal financial ambitions were stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine." Trump called Yovanovitch "bad news" in the phone call to Zelenskiy and added that "she's going to go through some things," according to a White House summary. Zelenskiy told Trump: "I agree with you 100 per cent" that she was a "bad ambassador." 'Go big or go home' In her private testimony to lawmakers, Yovanovitch also described how Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, had urged her to use Twitter to express support for Trump to save her job. "He said, you know, you need to go big or go home. You need to, you know, tweet out there that you support the president," she said. Three more public hearings are scheduled for next week. Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Intelligence Committee member, said he hoped that Republican lawmakers treat Yovanovitch fairly. "I hope that they treat her with the dignity she deserves, the respect that she deserves. By all accounts, she was an excellent member of the foreign service," Krishnamoorthi told Reuters. Krishnamoorthi said the evidence suggested she was removed to make way for the Trump administration's "irregular channel" of diplomacy in crafting Ukraine policy personally beneficial to Trump in which Giuliani played a central role along with diplomats Sondland and Kurt Volker, as well as Energy Secretary Rick Perry. The hearing comes a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that Trump already had admitted to bribery in the Ukraine scandal. "The bribe is to grant or withhold military assistance in return for a public statement of a fake investigation into the elections," Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, told a news conference. Pelosi's comments could offer a preview of articles of impeachment Democrats might put forward. Two other career US diplomats, William Taylor and George Kent, testified on Wednesday in the first public hearing, expressing alarm over the pressure tactics on Ukraine by Giuliani for investigations that would benefit Trump politically. Taylor is acting US ambassador to Ukraine. His aide David Holmes, who Taylor said overheard a July 26 telephone conversation in which Trump asked Sondland about progress in getting the Ukrainians to do the investigations, is due to appear before lawmakers in a private session on Friday.

Trump impeachment hearing day-2: Ousted 'bad news' US ambassador to Ukraine to testify today

Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-American businessman who has ties to President Donald Trump's personal lawyer,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/giuliani-says-trump-did-not-pay-for-his-push-for-biden-probe-252746">Rudy Giuliani</a>, is now prepared to comply with requests for records and testimony from congressional impeachment investigators, his lawyer told Reuters on Monday.

Parnas, who helped Giuliani look for dirt on Trump's political rival, former Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-must-investigate-joe-bidens-son-ex-ukrainian-pm-252662">Joe Biden</a>, is a key figure in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/house-to-formalise-donald-trump-impeachment-investigation-259008">impeachment enquiry</a> that is examining whether Trump abused his office for personal political gain.

His apparent decision to work with the congressional committees represents a change of heart. Parnas rebuffed a request from three House of Representatives committees last month to provide documents and testimony.

“We will honour and not avoid the committee’s requests to the extent they are legally proper, while scrupulously protecting Mr Parnas’ privileges including that of the Fifth Amendment,” said the lawyer, Joseph Bondy, referring to his client's constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination.

Giuliani did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Capitol Hill, the House leadership and a spokesperson for the House Intelligence Committee declined to comment.

His previous lawyer, John Dowd, wrote to the committees in early October complaining that their requests for documents were “overly broad and unduly burdensome.”

Parnas pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court last month to being part of a scheme that used a shell company to donate money to a pro-Trump election committee and illegally raise money for a former congressman as part of an effort to have the president remove the US&nbsp;ambassador to Ukraine.

The indictment does not address the issues involved in the impeachment inquiry.

Parnas would be a crucial witness if he were to cooperate. He has said he played a key role in connecting Giuliani to Ukrainian officials during Giuliani's investigation into Biden and his son Hunter.

Trump's request to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a July 25 phone call to investigate the Bidens was at the heart of a whistleblower complaint by an intelligence officer that sparked the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry on September&nbsp;24.

Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-American businessman who has ties to President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is now prepared to comply with requests for records and testimony from congressional impeachment investigators, his lawyer told Reuters on Monday.

Lev Parnas, an indicted Ukrainian-American businessman who has ties to President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, is now prepared to comply with requests for records and testimony from congressional impeachment investigators, his lawyer told Reuters on Monday. Parnas, who helped Giuliani look for dirt on Trump's political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, is a key figure in the impeachment enquiry that is examining whether Trump abused his office for personal political gain. His apparent decision to work with the congressional committees represents a change of heart. Parnas rebuffed a request from three House of Representatives committees last month to provide documents and testimony. “We will honour and not avoid the committee’s requests to the extent they are legally proper, while scrupulously protecting Mr Parnas’ privileges including that of the Fifth Amendment,” said the lawyer, Joseph Bondy, referring to his client's constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination. Giuliani did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Capitol Hill, the House leadership and a spokesperson for the House Intelligence Committee declined to comment. His previous lawyer, John Dowd, wrote to the committees in early October complaining that their requests for documents were “overly broad and unduly burdensome.” Parnas pleaded not guilty in Manhattan federal court last month to being part of a scheme that used a shell company to donate money to a pro-Trump election committee and illegally raise money for a former congressman as part of an effort to have the president remove the US ambassador to Ukraine. The indictment does not address the issues involved in the impeachment inquiry. Parnas would be a crucial witness if he were to cooperate. He has said he played a key role in connecting Giuliani to Ukrainian officials during Giuliani's investigation into Biden and his son Hunter. Trump's request to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a July 25 phone call to investigate the Bidens was at the heart of a whistleblower complaint by an intelligence officer that sparked the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry on September 24.

Rudy Giuliani's associate Lev Parnas will comply with Trump impeachment enquiry

The former US ambassador to Ukraine on Friday told a House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-to-host-first-post-impeachment-inquiry-rally-in-democratic-stronghold-255010">President Donald Trump</a> that Trump ousted her based on "unfounded and false claims" after she had come under attack by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

Marie Yovanovitch, the ambassador who was abruptly recalled from Kiev in May, spent more than nine hours in a closed-door meeting with House members and staff. She had been expected to appear last week, but was told not to by the State Department at the behest of the White House, according to Democratic House members. Lawmakers then issued a subpoena for her appearance and she complied.

Yovanovitch, according to a copy of her opening statement posted online by US media, said she was told by a senior State Department official about "a concerted campaign against me" and said Trump had pushed for her removal since the middle of 2018 even though the department believed "I had done nothing wrong."

She expressed alarm over damage to diplomacy under Trump and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/two-businessmen-linked-to-trump-ukraine-scandal-arrested-on-us-charges-255065">warned about "private interests"</a> circumventing "professional diplomats for their own gain, not the public good."

The impeachment inquiry focuses on a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate a leading rival seeking to face Trump in the 2020 presidential election, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, and Biden's businessman son Hunter Biden.

Giuliani has accused Yovanovitch of blocking efforts to persuade Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. The former New York mayor has said he provided information to both Trump and State about Yovanovitch, who he suggested was biased against Trump.

On Friday, Giuliani said: "I was doing it in my role as a defence lawyer" for Trump.

Trump was asked on Friday whether Giuliani was still his personal attorney. He answered, "I don't know."

A person familiar with the situation said Giuliani was still Trump's outside counsel, but would not represent him on matters dealing with Ukraine.

In her statement, Yovanovitch denied any bias. She said Giuliani's associates "may well have believed that their personal financial ambitions were stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine."

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine, the New York Times reported, citing two people familiar with the inquiry.

On Thursday, two businessmen, Ukraine-born Lev Parnas and Belarus-born Igor Fruman, who helped Giuliani as he investigated Biden, were arrested in what US prosecutors called a scheme to illegally funnel money to a pro-Trump election committee and other political candidates.

The Times said the investigation of Giuliani is tied to the case against Parnas and Fruman.

Asked about the Times report, Giuliani told Reuters: "I never did any lobbying for anyone. If they want to ask me I’m happy to prove it. But they haven’t." A spokesman for the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office declined to comment.

'Clown show'

Democrats have called Yovanovitch's removal politically motivated.

Democratic Representative Denny Heck said he was gripped by Yovanovitch's testimony. "It was that amazing, that powerful, that impactful. And I just feel very fortunate to have been there," he told reporters.

Republicans were critical. Representative Lee Zeldin called Yovanovitch's testimony a "clown show."

According to a White House summary, Trump in his call to Zelenskiy said of Yovanovitch: "the woman was bad news and the people she was dealing with in Ukraine were bad news." Zelenskiy agreed she was a "bad ambassador" and agreed to investigate the Bidens.

The conversation occurred after Trump withheld $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine as it faced Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country.

"Although I understand that I served at the pleasure of the president, I was nevertheless incredulous that the US government chose to remove an Ambassador based, as best as I can tell, on unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives," Yovanovitch said in her statement.

Yovanovitch, who entered the Capitol complex for the deposition wearing dark glasses, did not respond to questions.

Yovanovitch has worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations and has had support from members of both parties in Congress. A senior Republican congressional aide described her as someone widely viewed as "professional."

Democrats have accused Trump of pressuring vulnerable ally Ukraine to dig up dirt on a rival for his own political benefit. Biden is a leading Democratic contender seeking his party's nomination to face Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Trump has denied wrongdoing.

Democrats have also criticized the Trump administration for what they see as efforts to obstruct the investigation. After Yovanovitch's testimony, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff warned that interfering in the probe would show "the president is violating the constitutional separation of powers and seeking to cover up his misconduct."

He said Yovanovitch had been "a model diplomat and deserves better than the shabby treatment she received from the president and the Secretary of State."

'Potty mouth'

As Yovanovitch spoke to the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that the administration would comply with the law.

"We're going to do everything we're lawfully required to do," Pompeo said in an interview with WKRN-TV in Nashville.

The investigation could lead to the approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges against the president - in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans who control the chamber have shown little appetite for ousting him.

In a call with her fellow House Democrats on Friday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the investigation was about finding facts, not Trump's personality, although she said Trump "has become a potty mouth and children are listening."

"His policy, his personality, his potty-mouth, that's about the election," Pelosi said, according to an aide who was on the call. "The inquiry is because he has not honoured his oath of office. We will honour ours."

Trump had told a rally on Thursday that Biden "was only a good vice president because he knew how to kiss (former President) Barack Obama's ass."

Yovanovitch said the United States' allowing Russian aggression toward Ukraine would "set a precedent that the United States will regret for decades to come."

"Today, we see the State Department attacked and hollowed out from within. State Department leadership, with Congress, needs to take action now to defend this great institution, and its thousands of loyal and effective employees," she said.

Depositions are scheduled in the coming days with more witnesses, including Fiona Hill, former senior director for European and Russian Affairs on Trump's National Security Council, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent and State Department Counsellor Ulrich Brechbuhl.

Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, will comply with a subpoena and testify on Thursday, his lawyers said, despite the White House policy against cooperation. But Sondland is not yet authorized to release documents the committees have sought, his lawyers said.

The former US ambassador to Ukraine on Friday told a House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump that Trump ousted her based on "unfounded and false claims" after she had come under attack by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

The former US ambassador to Ukraine on Friday told a House of Representatives impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump that Trump ousted her based on "unfounded and false claims" after she had come under attack by his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Marie Yovanovitch, the ambassador who was abruptly recalled from Kiev in May, spent more than nine hours in a closed-door meeting with House members and staff. She had been expected to appear last week, but was told not to by the State Department at the behest of the White House, according to Democratic House members. Lawmakers then issued a subpoena for her appearance and she complied. Yovanovitch, according to a copy of her opening statement posted online by US media, said she was told by a senior State Department official about "a concerted campaign against me" and said Trump had pushed for her removal since the middle of 2018 even though the department believed "I had done nothing wrong." She expressed alarm over damage to diplomacy under Trump and warned about "private interests" circumventing "professional diplomats for their own gain, not the public good." The impeachment inquiry focuses on a July 25 phone call in which Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate a leading rival seeking to face Trump in the 2020 presidential election, former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, and Biden's businessman son Hunter Biden. Giuliani has accused Yovanovitch of blocking efforts to persuade Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. The former New York mayor has said he provided information to both Trump and State about Yovanovitch, who he suggested was biased against Trump. On Friday, Giuliani said: "I was doing it in my role as a defence lawyer" for Trump. Trump was asked on Friday whether Giuliani was still his personal attorney. He answered, "I don't know." A person familiar with the situation said Giuliani was still Trump's outside counsel, but would not represent him on matters dealing with Ukraine. In her statement, Yovanovitch denied any bias. She said Giuliani's associates "may well have believed that their personal financial ambitions were stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine." Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether Giuliani broke lobbying laws in his dealings in Ukraine, the New York Times reported, citing two people familiar with the inquiry. On Thursday, two businessmen, Ukraine-born Lev Parnas and Belarus-born Igor Fruman, who helped Giuliani as he investigated Biden, were arrested in what US prosecutors called a scheme to illegally funnel money to a pro-Trump election committee and other political candidates. The Times said the investigation of Giuliani is tied to the case against Parnas and Fruman. Asked about the Times report, Giuliani told Reuters: "I never did any lobbying for anyone. If they want to ask me I’m happy to prove it. But they haven’t." A spokesman for the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office declined to comment. 'Clown show' Democrats have called Yovanovitch's removal politically motivated. Democratic Representative Denny Heck said he was gripped by Yovanovitch's testimony. "It was that amazing, that powerful, that impactful. And I just feel very fortunate to have been there," he told reporters. Republicans were critical. Representative Lee Zeldin called Yovanovitch's testimony a "clown show." According to a White House summary, Trump in his call to Zelenskiy said of Yovanovitch: "the woman was bad news and the people she was dealing with in Ukraine were bad news." Zelenskiy agreed she was a "bad ambassador" and agreed to investigate the Bidens. The conversation occurred after Trump withheld $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine as it faced Russia-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country. "Although I understand that I served at the pleasure of the president, I was nevertheless incredulous that the US government chose to remove an Ambassador based, as best as I can tell, on unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives," Yovanovitch said in her statement. Yovanovitch, who entered the Capitol complex for the deposition wearing dark glasses, did not respond to questions. Yovanovitch has worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations and has had support from members of both parties in Congress. A senior Republican congressional aide described her as someone widely viewed as "professional." Democrats have accused Trump of pressuring vulnerable ally Ukraine to dig up dirt on a rival for his own political benefit. Biden is a leading Democratic contender seeking his party's nomination to face Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Trump has denied wrongdoing. Democrats have also criticized the Trump administration for what they see as efforts to obstruct the investigation. After Yovanovitch's testimony, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff warned that interfering in the probe would show "the president is violating the constitutional separation of powers and seeking to cover up his misconduct." He said Yovanovitch had been "a model diplomat and deserves better than the shabby treatment she received from the president and the Secretary of State." 'Potty mouth' As Yovanovitch spoke to the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that the administration would comply with the law. "We're going to do everything we're lawfully required to do," Pompeo said in an interview with WKRN-TV in Nashville. The investigation could lead to the approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges against the president - in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans who control the chamber have shown little appetite for ousting him. In a call with her fellow House Democrats on Friday afternoon, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the investigation was about finding facts, not Trump's personality, although she said Trump "has become a potty mouth and children are listening." "His policy, his personality, his potty-mouth, that's about the election," Pelosi said, according to an aide who was on the call. "The inquiry is because he has not honoured his oath of office. We will honour ours." Trump had told a rally on Thursday that Biden "was only a good vice president because he knew how to kiss (former President) Barack Obama's ass." Yovanovitch said the United States' allowing Russian aggression toward Ukraine would "set a precedent that the United States will regret for decades to come." "Today, we see the State Department attacked and hollowed out from within. State Department leadership, with Congress, needs to take action now to defend this great institution, and its thousands of loyal and effective employees," she said. Depositions are scheduled in the coming days with more witnesses, including Fiona Hill, former senior director for European and Russian Affairs on Trump's National Security Council, as well as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent and State Department Counsellor Ulrich Brechbuhl. Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, will comply with a subpoena and testify on Thursday, his lawyers said, despite the White House policy against cooperation. But Sondland is not yet authorized to release documents the committees have sought, his lawyers said.

Former US ambassador to Ukraine tells impeachment inquiry Trump ousted her based on 'false claims'

US President Donald Trump, under pressure as Democrats pursue an impeachment inquiry against him, lashed out at the top Democrat in Congress on Sunday, saying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could be guilty of treason.

"Nancy Pelosi knew of all of the many Shifty Adam Schiff lies and massive frauds perpetrated upon Congress and the American people," Trump said on Twitter, referring to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.

Trump has attacked Schiff for his characterisation of a call the president held with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and he has said, without evidence, that Schiff helped draft a whistleblower complaint at the heart of the inquiry.

During the July 25 call, Trump pressed Zelenskiy for an investigation into former US vice president and current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, according to a summary of the call released by the Trump administration.

Democrats say Trump's effort was an abuse of power to gather dirt on a political rival.

Schiff, who was tagged by Pelosi to lead the impeachment investigation, said during a hearing last month that the summary read like a "classic organized crime shakedown."

Trump has repeatedly attacked Schiff for his characterization of the call. Schiff has said it was "meant to be at least part in parody."

A spokesman for Schiff's committee acknowledged last week that the whistleblower approached the panel for guidance before filing his complaint about Trump's efforts to push Ukraine to pursue an investigation into the Bidens, but there is no evidence that Schiff or the panel helped draft the complaint.

Trump referred to both Schiff's characterization of his call with Zelenskiy and the whistleblower's approach to the House Intelligence Committee in his email targeting Pelosi.

"This makes Nervous Nancy every bit as guilty as Liddle’ Adam Schiff for High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and even Treason," he said on Twitter.

"I guess that means that they, along with all of those that evilly 'Colluded' with them, must all be immediately Impeached!"

US President Donald Trump, under pressure as Democrats pursue an impeachment inquiry against him, lashed out at the top Democrat in Congress on Sunday, saying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could be guilty of treason.

US President Donald Trump, under pressure as Democrats pursue an impeachment inquiry against him, lashed out at the top Democrat in Congress on Sunday, saying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could be guilty of treason. "Nancy Pelosi knew of all of the many Shifty Adam Schiff lies and massive frauds perpetrated upon Congress and the American people," Trump said on Twitter, referring to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff. Trump has attacked Schiff for his characterisation of a call the president held with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and he has said, without evidence, that Schiff helped draft a whistleblower complaint at the heart of the inquiry. During the July 25 call, Trump pressed Zelenskiy for an investigation into former US vice president and current Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, according to a summary of the call released by the Trump administration. Democrats say Trump's effort was an abuse of power to gather dirt on a political rival. Schiff, who was tagged by Pelosi to lead the impeachment investigation, said during a hearing last month that the summary read like a "classic organized crime shakedown." Trump has repeatedly attacked Schiff for his characterization of the call. Schiff has said it was "meant to be at least part in parody." A spokesman for Schiff's committee acknowledged last week that the whistleblower approached the panel for guidance before filing his complaint about Trump's efforts to push Ukraine to pursue an investigation into the Bidens, but there is no evidence that Schiff or the panel helped draft the complaint. Trump referred to both Schiff's characterization of his call with Zelenskiy and the whistleblower's approach to the House Intelligence Committee in his email targeting Pelosi. "This makes Nervous Nancy every bit as guilty as Liddle’ Adam Schiff for High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and even Treason," he said on Twitter. "I guess that means that they, along with all of those that evilly 'Colluded' with them, must all be immediately Impeached!"

Donald Trump amps up complaints, says Pelosi may be guilty of treason

A parade of US diplomats will head to Capitol Hill for closed-door testimony this week as Democrats build their impeachment case against President Donald Trump, while the White House considers ways to slow down the process.

The interviews could yield more fodder for Democrats' impeachment drive over a whistleblower's allegations that Trump leveraged $400 million in aid to secure a promise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate political rival Joe Biden, and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.

Trump has denied wrongdoing and assailed the probe.

Among those due to testify: Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union who was involved in efforts to get Ukraine to open the investigations, and Masha Yovanovitch, who was abruptly recalled from her post as US ambassador to Ukraine in May after Trump supporters questioned her loyalty to the president.

Trump's White House could formally tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as early as Monday that it will ignore lawmakers' demands for documents until the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives holds a vote to formally approve the impeachment inquiry.

Pelosi says a vote is not needed, but Democrats say she would prevail if one were held, although very few Republicans would be expected to side with the Democratic majority. Congress returns to Washington on October 15 after a two-week recess.

"There's no question in my mind that she would have the votes," Democratic Representative Jim Himes said on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday.

The impeachment investigation could lead to the approval by the House of formal charges against Trump.

A trial on whether to remove him from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate, but few Republicans have broken ranks with Trump so far for asking Ukraine and China to launch investigations of Biden, a former vice president and leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 presidential election.

Second whistleblower

On Sunday, lawyers said a second whistleblower had come forward to substantiate an August complaint from an unnamed US government official, which touched off the investigation.&nbsp;

Diplomatic text messages released by Democrats last week show that US officials were involved in the effort to secure a public commitment from Ukraine to look into the business dealings of Hunter Biden.&nbsp;

Trump has alleged that Hunter Biden profited in his business dealings in both Ukraine and China from his father's position, and that Joe Biden, as vice president, pushed Ukraine to fire a prosecutor to impede a probe of a company tied to his son.

There has been no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Biden.

Those texts show Sondland seeking to downplay the concerns of another US diplomat, William Taylor, that the United States was withholding $400 million in aid in order to secure Ukraine's cooperation.

"The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo's of any kind," Sondland wrote. "I suggest we stop the back and forths by text."

Sondland is expected to testify on Tuesday before the three House committees leading the impeachment probe. State Department counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl is also scheduled to testify that day.

Deputy Secretary of State George Kent is scheduled to testify on Monday. Yovanovitch is due to appear on Friday.

A parade of US diplomats will head to Capitol Hill for closed-door testimony this week as Democrats build their impeachment case against President Donald Trump, while the White House considers ways to slow down the process.

A parade of US diplomats will head to Capitol Hill for closed-door testimony this week as Democrats build their impeachment case against President Donald Trump, while the White House considers ways to slow down the process. The interviews could yield more fodder for Democrats' impeachment drive over a whistleblower's allegations that Trump leveraged $400 million in aid to secure a promise from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate political rival Joe Biden, and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian energy company. Trump has denied wrongdoing and assailed the probe. Among those due to testify: Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union who was involved in efforts to get Ukraine to open the investigations, and Masha Yovanovitch, who was abruptly recalled from her post as US ambassador to Ukraine in May after Trump supporters questioned her loyalty to the president. Trump's White House could formally tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as early as Monday that it will ignore lawmakers' demands for documents until the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives holds a vote to formally approve the impeachment inquiry. Pelosi says a vote is not needed, but Democrats say she would prevail if one were held, although very few Republicans would be expected to side with the Democratic majority. Congress returns to Washington on October 15 after a two-week recess. "There's no question in my mind that she would have the votes," Democratic Representative Jim Himes said on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. The impeachment investigation could lead to the approval by the House of formal charges against Trump. A trial on whether to remove him from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate, but few Republicans have broken ranks with Trump so far for asking Ukraine and China to launch investigations of Biden, a former vice president and leading contender for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 presidential election. Second whistleblower On Sunday, lawyers said a second whistleblower had come forward to substantiate an August complaint from an unnamed US government official, which touched off the investigation. Diplomatic text messages released by Democrats last week show that US officials were involved in the effort to secure a public commitment from Ukraine to look into the business dealings of Hunter Biden. Trump has alleged that Hunter Biden profited in his business dealings in both Ukraine and China from his father's position, and that Joe Biden, as vice president, pushed Ukraine to fire a prosecutor to impede a probe of a company tied to his son. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Biden. Those texts show Sondland seeking to downplay the concerns of another US diplomat, William Taylor, that the United States was withholding $400 million in aid in order to secure Ukraine's cooperation. "The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo's of any kind," Sondland wrote. "I suggest we stop the back and forths by text." Sondland is expected to testify on Tuesday before the three House committees leading the impeachment probe. State Department counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl is also scheduled to testify that day. Deputy Secretary of State George Kent is scheduled to testify on Monday. Yovanovitch is due to appear on Friday.

US diplomats to testify about Trump-Ukraine efforts as Democrats build impeachment case

US President Donald Trump on Saturday opened a new front in the impeachment battle that threatens his administration, blasting a prominent member of his party for criticizing his push to get foreign nations to probe a leading Democratic rival.

The Republican president, who launched a stream of invective at Democrats and the media this week as an impeachment probe in Congress widened, tweeted that US Senator Mitt Romney was a "pompous 'ass' who has been fighting me from the beginning."

Romney, who lost the 2012 election to Democratic incumbent President Barack Obama, criticized Trump on Friday for asking China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

The Utah Republican said Trump's appeal to China was "wrong and appalling."

In a later tweet, Trump said he was hearing that people in Utah regretted electing Romney to the Senate in 2018. "I agree! He is a fool who is playing right into the hands of the Do-Nothing Democrats! #IMPEACHMITTROMNEY," Trump wrote.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m hearing that the Great People of Utah are considering their vote for their Pompous Senator, Mitt Romney, to be a big mistake. I agree! He is a fool who is playing right into the hands of the Do Nothing Democrats! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IMPEACHMITTROMNEY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IMPEACHMITTROMNEY</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1180559858699030529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Trump also defended again as "appropriate" the July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that triggered the impeachment inquiry in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and said his call for China to investigate Biden and his son Hunter was linked to corruption, not politics.

Another Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, on Saturday also criticized Trump for exhorting China to investigate the Bidens, calling it "completely inappropriate" in remarks to reporters at an event in her home state, according to the Bangor Daily News.

"I thought the president made a big mistake by asking China to get involved in investigating a political opponent," Collins said, according to the local report.

House Democrats are examining whether there are grounds to impeach Trump based on a whistleblower's complaint that said he asked Zelenskiy to help probe the Bidens. Hunter Biden was on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company for several years.

There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either the former vice president or his son.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a Trump ally, said on Saturday the State Department had issued an initial response to a request by the House Foreign Affairs Committee for documents tied to US contacts with the Ukrainian government. The panel issued Pompeo a subpoena on September 27.

"The State Department sent a letter last night to Congress, which is our initial response to the document request. We will obviously do all the things we are required to by law," Pompeo said in a news conference in Greece. He did not elaborate on the contents of the letter.

An official from the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement to Reuters that Pompeo had "failed to meet the deadline to produce documents required by the subpoena," but confirmed the State Department had contacted the three House committees involved in the probes.

"We hope the department will cooperate in full promptly," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

'Gotcha game'

Pompeo, who has acknowledged he listened to the July 25 call between Trump and Zelenskiy, objected last week to efforts by Democrats to obtain depositions from current and former department officials.

Asked at another event on Saturday if there were any red flags in the Ukraine saga that required further investigation, Pompeo said he did not think the audience was interested in hearing about the issue."This is what's wrong, when the world doesn't focus on the things that are right, the things that matter, the things that impact real people's lives and instead you get caught up in silly gotcha game?" he said.He also addressed a notion Trump has long held that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 US presidential election, a theory that runs counter to the US intelligence community's findings that it was Russia that meddled in the campaign.

Pompeo said, "governments have an obligation and indeed a duty to make sure that elections happen with integrity, without interference from any government, whether that's the Ukrainian government or any other."

Lawmakers are looking at whether Trump jeopardized national security and the integrity of US elections for personal political gain. Trump has called the impeachment investigation a "hoax" and accused the media and Democrats of corruption.

Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, told Reuters in a phone interview on Saturday that the president in the July 25 call had not offered his Ukrainian counterpart any "quid pro quo" for his cooperation in probing Biden and his son.

"One thing clear about the conversation is, there's no quid pro quo," said the former New York mayor, who has emerged as a central figure in the scandal. The House Intelligence Committee has issued a subpoena to Giuliani, setting an Oct. 15 deadline for him to turn over documents related to his work with Ukrainians on Trump's behalf.

House Democrats subpoenaed the White House for documents on Friday. White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said the subpoena "changes nothing" and that it would be ultimately shown that Trump did nothing wrong.

The probe could lead to approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate.

A two-thirds majority of the senators present would be needed to oust Trump, which means 20 Republicans would have to jump ship if all the Democrats and the two independents who caucus with Democrats form a united front.

Although Trump's Senate firewall has no visible cracks so far, Romney's willingness to step out of formation and criticise Trump over his calls for foreign investigations of a political opponent could act as a catalyst for others.

Romney savaged Trump during the 2016 campaign, calling him a "con man" who was unfit for the presidency, but the two men later set aside their differences. Trump endorsed Romney's political comeback last year.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday opened a new front in the impeachment battle that threatens his administration, blasting a prominent member of his party for criticizing his push to get foreign nations to probe a leading Democratic rival.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday opened a new front in the impeachment battle that threatens his administration, blasting a prominent member of his party for criticizing his push to get foreign nations to probe a leading Democratic rival. The Republican president, who launched a stream of invective at Democrats and the media this week as an impeachment probe in Congress widened, tweeted that US Senator Mitt Romney was a "pompous 'ass' who has been fighting me from the beginning." Romney, who lost the 2012 election to Democratic incumbent President Barack Obama, criticized Trump on Friday for asking China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. The Utah Republican said Trump's appeal to China was "wrong and appalling." In a later tweet, Trump said he was hearing that people in Utah regretted electing Romney to the Senate in 2018. "I agree! He is a fool who is playing right into the hands of the Do-Nothing Democrats! #IMPEACHMITTROMNEY," Trump wrote. I’m hearing that the Great People of Utah are considering their vote for their Pompous Senator, Mitt Romney, to be a big mistake. I agree! He is a fool who is playing right into the hands of the Do Nothing Democrats! #IMPEACHMITTROMNEY — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2019 × Trump also defended again as "appropriate" the July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that triggered the impeachment inquiry in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives and said his call for China to investigate Biden and his son Hunter was linked to corruption, not politics. Another Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, on Saturday also criticized Trump for exhorting China to investigate the Bidens, calling it "completely inappropriate" in remarks to reporters at an event in her home state, according to the Bangor Daily News. "I thought the president made a big mistake by asking China to get involved in investigating a political opponent," Collins said, according to the local report. House Democrats are examining whether there are grounds to impeach Trump based on a whistleblower's complaint that said he asked Zelenskiy to help probe the Bidens. Hunter Biden was on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company for several years. There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either the former vice president or his son. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a Trump ally, said on Saturday the State Department had issued an initial response to a request by the House Foreign Affairs Committee for documents tied to US contacts with the Ukrainian government. The panel issued Pompeo a subpoena on September 27. "The State Department sent a letter last night to Congress, which is our initial response to the document request. We will obviously do all the things we are required to by law," Pompeo said in a news conference in Greece. He did not elaborate on the contents of the letter. An official from the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement to Reuters that Pompeo had "failed to meet the deadline to produce documents required by the subpoena," but confirmed the State Department had contacted the three House committees involved in the probes. "We hope the department will cooperate in full promptly," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Gotcha game' Pompeo, who has acknowledged he listened to the July 25 call between Trump and Zelenskiy, objected last week to efforts by Democrats to obtain depositions from current and former department officials. Asked at another event on Saturday if there were any red flags in the Ukraine saga that required further investigation, Pompeo said he did not think the audience was interested in hearing about the issue."This is what's wrong, when the world doesn't focus on the things that are right, the things that matter, the things that impact real people's lives and instead you get caught up in silly gotcha game?" he said.He also addressed a notion Trump has long held that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 US presidential election, a theory that runs counter to the US intelligence community's findings that it was Russia that meddled in the campaign. Pompeo said, "governments have an obligation and indeed a duty to make sure that elections happen with integrity, without interference from any government, whether that's the Ukrainian government or any other." Lawmakers are looking at whether Trump jeopardized national security and the integrity of US elections for personal political gain. Trump has called the impeachment investigation a "hoax" and accused the media and Democrats of corruption. Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, told Reuters in a phone interview on Saturday that the president in the July 25 call had not offered his Ukrainian counterpart any "quid pro quo" for his cooperation in probing Biden and his son. "One thing clear about the conversation is, there's no quid pro quo," said the former New York mayor, who has emerged as a central figure in the scandal. The House Intelligence Committee has issued a subpoena to Giuliani, setting an Oct. 15 deadline for him to turn over documents related to his work with Ukrainians on Trump's behalf. House Democrats subpoenaed the White House for documents on Friday. White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said the subpoena "changes nothing" and that it would be ultimately shown that Trump did nothing wrong. The probe could lead to approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate. A two-thirds majority of the senators present would be needed to oust Trump, which means 20 Republicans would have to jump ship if all the Democrats and the two independents who caucus with Democrats form a united front. Although Trump's Senate firewall has no visible cracks so far, Romney's willingness to step out of formation and criticise Trump over his calls for foreign investigations of a political opponent could act as a catalyst for others. Romney savaged Trump during the 2016 campaign, calling him a "con man" who was unfit for the presidency, but the two men later set aside their differences. Trump endorsed Romney's political comeback last year.

Et tu, Mitt? Trump blasts Republican senator as impeachment battle heats up

US House Democrats on Friday subpoenaed the White House for documents they want to see as part of their impeachment investigation of President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-state-department-approves-missile-sale-raised-in-ukraine-call-253609">Donald Trump</a>.

The chairmen of three House of Representatives committees said they want documents related to a July 25 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/texts-show-us-diplomat-pushing-ukraine-on-probe-for-donald-trump-meeting-253653">phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy</a> that is at the heart of their inquiry.

The three said they were forced to issue the subpoena after the White House failed to produce documents they requested in a September 9 letter.

"We deeply regret that President Trump has put us - and the nation - in this position, but his actions have left us with no choice but to issue this subpoena," said Representatives Elijah Cummings of the Oversight Committee, Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee and Eliot Engel of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

They gave the White House until October 18 to produce the information, including who else besides Trump was on the phone call with Zelenskiy.

"This subpoena changes nothing - just more document requests, wasted time, and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the President did nothing wrong," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.

Watch: Defiant Trump takes aim at journalist over Ukraine

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White House lawyers believe Trump, a Republican, can ignore lawmakers' demands until the Democratic-controlled Households a full vote of the chamber to formally approve of the impeachment inquiry, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Earlier, the committees asked Vice President Mike Pence to hand over documents relating to a meeting he held with Zelenskiy and the call between Zelenskiy and Trump.

They gave Pence until October 15 to produce any records relating to the July call and a meeting he held with Zelenskiy on Sept. 1.

According to a partial transcript of the call, Trump asked Zelenskiy <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-on-china-and-ukraine-to-investigate-biden-253570">the "favour" of investigating former US Vice President Joe Biden</a>, a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, and his son, Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of Ukrainian gas company Burisma.

At the time, the Trump administration was withholding hundreds of millions in aid for Ukraine and Democrats said they suspect Trump was using U.S. foreign policy and taxpayer money for his personal political gain. Trump is running for re-election.

"Recently, public reports have raised questions about any role you may have played in conveying or reinforcing the president's stark message to the Ukrainian president," Cummings, Schiff and Engel wrote in a letter to Pence.

A spokeswoman for Pence said the broad nature of the request showed that it was not "serious."

When <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-diplomat-at-center-of-trump-ukraine-affair-to-meet-with-house-committee-staff-253410">Pence met with Zelenskiy</a>, the two discussed the $250 million in security assistance that the US Congress had approved but that the Trump administration had not disbursed.

Whistleblower

The contents of the Trump-Zelenskiy call were revealed by a member of the intelligence community who filed a whistleblower complaint and remains anonymous. Trump has said he wants to know the whistleblower's identity.

Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the Intelligence Committee, said he believed the whistleblower's identity should be kept secret even from members of the panel.

"I think that the less we know about that person, the more protected he or she will be," Krishnamoorthi told Reuters.

A second intelligence official, who has more direct information about Trump's dealings with Ukraine than the first whistleblower, is also considering filing a whistleblower complaint, the New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the matter.

The second official is among those interviewed by the intelligence community inspector general to corroborate the allegations of the original whistleblower, one of the people said, according to the Times.

The inspector general, Michael Atkinson, testified before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee on Friday.

The investigation could lead to the approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove him from office would then be held in the US Senate. Republicans who control the Senate have shown little appetite for ousting Trump.

A cache of diplomatic texts Democrats received as part of their impeachment inquiry showed US officials pressured the Ukrainian government to launch investigations that might benefit Trump's personal political agenda in exchange for a meeting of the two countries' leaders.

Kurt Volker, who resigned last week as Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, gave the messages to the House committees in a closed-door meeting on Thursday, and the chairmen released them later in the day.

Romney pushes back

Trump has said Biden and his son are "corrupt" but has shown no evidence to back that up. The president on Thursday went a step further in his attacks on Biden when he called on China to investigate the former vice president and his son, who had business interests there.

US senator and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Friday it was "wrong and appalling" for Trump to push other nations to investigate Biden.

"When the only American citizen President Trump singles out for China's investigation is his political opponent in the midst of the Democratic nomination process, it strains credulity to suggest that it is anything other than politically motivated," Romney said on Twitter.

Trump said on Friday he would not tie a much-anticipated trade deal with China to his desire for Beijing to investigate Joe Biden.

"One thing has nothing to do with the other," he said.

Biden leads in most opinion polls among the 19 Democrats seeking the party's nomination. His campaign has blasted Trump's efforts as desperate.

In a signal of how Kiev will handle investigations being watched in Washington, Ukrainian prosecutors said they would review 15 old probes related to Burisma's founder but added that they were unaware of any evidence of wrongdoing by Biden's son.

The White House plans to argue that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, must have the full House vote to formally approve an impeachment inquiry, a source familiar with the effort said.

Without a vote, White House lawyers believe Trump, who has called the impeachment probe a "hoax," can ignore lawmakers' requests, the source said, meaning the federal courts would presumably have to render a decision and potentially slow the march toward impeachment.

A White House letter arguing Pelosi must hold a House vote will probably be sent to Capitol Hill next week, an administration official said.

US House Democrats on Friday subpoenaed the White House for documents they want to see as part of their impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump. The chairmen of three House of Representatives committees said they want documents related to a July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that is at the heart of their inquiry.

US House Democrats on Friday subpoenaed the White House for documents they want to see as part of their impeachment investigation of President Donald Trump. The chairmen of three House of Representatives committees said they want documents related to a July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that is at the heart of their inquiry. The three said they were forced to issue the subpoena after the White House failed to produce documents they requested in a September 9 letter. "We deeply regret that President Trump has put us - and the nation - in this position, but his actions have left us with no choice but to issue this subpoena," said Representatives Elijah Cummings of the Oversight Committee, Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee and Eliot Engel of the Foreign Affairs Committee. They gave the White House until October 18 to produce the information, including who else besides Trump was on the phone call with Zelenskiy. "This subpoena changes nothing - just more document requests, wasted time, and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the President did nothing wrong," White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement. Watch: Defiant Trump takes aim at journalist over Ukraine × White House lawyers believe Trump, a Republican, can ignore lawmakers' demands until the Democratic-controlled Households a full vote of the chamber to formally approve of the impeachment inquiry, according to a person familiar with the matter. Earlier, the committees asked Vice President Mike Pence to hand over documents relating to a meeting he held with Zelenskiy and the call between Zelenskiy and Trump. They gave Pence until October 15 to produce any records relating to the July call and a meeting he held with Zelenskiy on Sept. 1. According to a partial transcript of the call, Trump asked Zelenskiy the "favour" of investigating former US Vice President Joe Biden, a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, and his son, Hunter Biden, who had served on the board of Ukrainian gas company Burisma. At the time, the Trump administration was withholding hundreds of millions in aid for Ukraine and Democrats said they suspect Trump was using U.S. foreign policy and taxpayer money for his personal political gain. Trump is running for re-election. "Recently, public reports have raised questions about any role you may have played in conveying or reinforcing the president's stark message to the Ukrainian president," Cummings, Schiff and Engel wrote in a letter to Pence. A spokeswoman for Pence said the broad nature of the request showed that it was not "serious." When Pence met with Zelenskiy, the two discussed the $250 million in security assistance that the US Congress had approved but that the Trump administration had not disbursed. Whistleblower The contents of the Trump-Zelenskiy call were revealed by a member of the intelligence community who filed a whistleblower complaint and remains anonymous. Trump has said he wants to know the whistleblower's identity. Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the Intelligence Committee, said he believed the whistleblower's identity should be kept secret even from members of the panel. "I think that the less we know about that person, the more protected he or she will be," Krishnamoorthi told Reuters. A second intelligence official, who has more direct information about Trump's dealings with Ukraine than the first whistleblower, is also considering filing a whistleblower complaint, the New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the matter. The second official is among those interviewed by the intelligence community inspector general to corroborate the allegations of the original whistleblower, one of the people said, according to the Times. The inspector general, Michael Atkinson, testified before a closed-door session of the House Intelligence Committee on Friday. The investigation could lead to the approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove him from office would then be held in the US Senate. Republicans who control the Senate have shown little appetite for ousting Trump. A cache of diplomatic texts Democrats received as part of their impeachment inquiry showed US officials pressured the Ukrainian government to launch investigations that might benefit Trump's personal political agenda in exchange for a meeting of the two countries' leaders. Kurt Volker, who resigned last week as Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, gave the messages to the House committees in a closed-door meeting on Thursday, and the chairmen released them later in the day. Romney pushes back Trump has said Biden and his son are "corrupt" but has shown no evidence to back that up. The president on Thursday went a step further in his attacks on Biden when he called on China to investigate the former vice president and his son, who had business interests there. US senator and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Friday it was "wrong and appalling" for Trump to push other nations to investigate Biden. "When the only American citizen President Trump singles out for China's investigation is his political opponent in the midst of the Democratic nomination process, it strains credulity to suggest that it is anything other than politically motivated," Romney said on Twitter. Trump said on Friday he would not tie a much-anticipated trade deal with China to his desire for Beijing to investigate Joe Biden. "One thing has nothing to do with the other," he said. Biden leads in most opinion polls among the 19 Democrats seeking the party's nomination. His campaign has blasted Trump's efforts as desperate. In a signal of how Kiev will handle investigations being watched in Washington, Ukrainian prosecutors said they would review 15 old probes related to Burisma's founder but added that they were unaware of any evidence of wrongdoing by Biden's son. The White House plans to argue that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, must have the full House vote to formally approve an impeachment inquiry, a source familiar with the effort said. Without a vote, White House lawyers believe Trump, who has called the impeachment probe a "hoax," can ignore lawmakers' requests, the source said, meaning the federal courts would presumably have to render a decision and potentially slow the march toward impeachment. A White House letter arguing Pelosi must hold a House vote will probably be sent to Capitol Hill next week, an administration official said.

House Democrats subpoena White House for documents in Donald Trump impeachment probe

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is expected to announce his resignation in November, Politico reported on Thursday, citing three unidentified people familiar with his plans.

A spokeswoman for the Energy Department said Perry remains a "proud member" of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, in a statement that stopped short of denying the Politico report.

"While the beltway media has breathlessly reported on rumours of Secretary Perry's departure for months, he is still the Secretary of Energy," spokeswoman Shaylyn Haynes said in a statement. "One day the media will be right. Today is not that day."

While Perry's contacts with Ukraine have drawn him into the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump by House of Representatives Democrats, the three people said his expected departure was not related to the Ukraine controversy, Politico reported.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the impeachment investigation last week after a whistleblower lodged a complaint about Trump asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to look into investigating former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

The complaint mentioned Perry, who led a small US delegation to Zelenskiy's inauguration in May, replacing Vice President Mike Pence.

Perry has been free of ethics investigations that have weighed on other Trump officials, forcing a number of them, such as former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, to leave the Republican administration.

Perry, who was the longest-serving governor of oil-producing Texas, has worked to advance Trump's "energy dominance" agenda on maximizing production of fossil fuels. He has been a frequent visitor to Europe promoting what he calls "freedom gas" or shipments of US liquefied natural gas, to provide Poland, Lithuania and other countries as an alternative to Russian gas.

Perry often met with Khalid al-Falih, a friend and fellow alumnus of Texas A&amp;M University, who was until early September the energy minister the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia.

Perry held talks with Falih about Saudi Arabia's plans to build its first two commercial nuclear power plants, urging the kingdom to use US nuclear technology, rather than Chinese or Russian technology.

Saudi Arabia has resisted agreeing to nonproliferation standards, but Perry said he told officials there it was important for the kingdom to be perceived by the world as strong on nonproliferation.

Perry has so far failed to save US nuclear energy and coal plants from a rash of closures due to competition from natural gas, solar and wind power.

Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, who has attended several international energy meetings in recent months, is widely expected by energy experts to replace Perry.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is expected to announce his resignation in November, Politico reported on Thursday, citing three unidentified people familiar with his plans.

US Energy Secretary Rick Perry is expected to announce his resignation in November, Politico reported on Thursday, citing three unidentified people familiar with his plans. A spokeswoman for the Energy Department said Perry remains a "proud member" of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, in a statement that stopped short of denying the Politico report. "While the beltway media has breathlessly reported on rumours of Secretary Perry's departure for months, he is still the Secretary of Energy," spokeswoman Shaylyn Haynes said in a statement. "One day the media will be right. Today is not that day." While Perry's contacts with Ukraine have drawn him into the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump by House of Representatives Democrats, the three people said his expected departure was not related to the Ukraine controversy, Politico reported. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the impeachment investigation last week after a whistleblower lodged a complaint about Trump asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to look into investigating former Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. The complaint mentioned Perry, who led a small US delegation to Zelenskiy's inauguration in May, replacing Vice President Mike Pence. Perry has been free of ethics investigations that have weighed on other Trump officials, forcing a number of them, such as former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt, to leave the Republican administration. Perry, who was the longest-serving governor of oil-producing Texas, has worked to advance Trump's "energy dominance" agenda on maximizing production of fossil fuels. He has been a frequent visitor to Europe promoting what he calls "freedom gas" or shipments of US liquefied natural gas, to provide Poland, Lithuania and other countries as an alternative to Russian gas. Perry often met with Khalid al-Falih, a friend and fellow alumnus of Texas A&M University, who was until early September the energy minister the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia. Perry held talks with Falih about Saudi Arabia's plans to build its first two commercial nuclear power plants, urging the kingdom to use US nuclear technology, rather than Chinese or Russian technology. Saudi Arabia has resisted agreeing to nonproliferation standards, but Perry said he told officials there it was important for the kingdom to be perceived by the world as strong on nonproliferation. Perry has so far failed to save US nuclear energy and coal plants from a rash of closures due to competition from natural gas, solar and wind power. Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, who has attended several international energy meetings in recent months, is widely expected by energy experts to replace Perry.

US Energy Secretary Perry expected to announce resignation next month: Report

A longtime US&nbsp;diplomat who served as President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine will tell his story to congressional committee staff on Thursday as part of a Democratic-led impeachment probe of the Republican president.

Kurt Volker resigned as special representative for Ukraine negotiations on Friday, the day after the public release of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whistleblower-in-donald-trump-ukraine-scandal-a-cia-officer-report-252276">whistleblower complaint</a> that described him as trying to "contain the damage" from efforts by Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani to press Ukraine to investigate Democrats.

Volker's meeting with the committee comes after an emotional day in the impeachment inquiry on Wednesday when Trump railed at journalists during a news conference, resorted to the use of an expletive on Twitter and called the probe "a hoax and a fraud" while pledging to cooperate.

Democratic lawmakers had said earlier on Wednesday they were prepared to subpoena White House records about Trump's July 25 telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

Charges that Trump pressured Zelenskiy in that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-feud-heats-up-donald-trump-says-joe-biden-was-subject-of-ukraine-call-251345">call</a> to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading rival in Trump's bid for re-election in 2020, helped prompt House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to announce a formal <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-denounces-impeachment-inquiry-as-a-coup-253163">impeachment investigation</a> last week.

On Thursday, staff from the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees will conduct a transcribed interview with Volker.

The 54-year-old, who is also a former US&nbsp;ambassador to NATO, is appearing voluntarily.

The briefing will take place behind closed doors, the first of a series of events in the probe, none of them public, scheduled within the 10 days.

More are expected.

Late on Wednesday, US&nbsp;Representative Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the session with Volker, saying that Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans were not being given equal representation or the chance to question Volker.

He also expressed concern that US&nbsp;Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic House foreign affairs chairman, had ceded oversight of US foreign policy to the Intelligence Committee because that panel, he said, would lead the questioning of Volker.

An Intelligence Committee aide said the panel's staff would conduct the interview because Pelosi had designated it as the lead committee in the impeachment inquiry.

Intelligence Committee investigators have been working with the Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees, "both of which will have equal Majority and Minority representation," the aide said in an email.

Representatives for the Foreign Affairs Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Friday, Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson will testify at an Intelligence Committee hearing.

Marie Yovanovitch, who was the US&nbsp;ambassador in Kiev until Trump recalled her in May before her normal term was up, will meet with committee staff on October&nbsp;11.

'Perfect'- or 'wrong'?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-says-nothing-compromising-in-trump-call-to-ukraine-leader-253325">Trump</a>&nbsp;has denied wrongdoing, repeatedly calling his call with Zelenskiy "perfect."

Pelosi dismissed that characterization at a news conference on Wednesday, saying: "It's not perfect - it's wrong."

Some of Trump's Republican allies have joined him in seeking to discredit Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence panel, after a New York Times report on Wednesday that the whistleblower had contacted the committee for advice on how to proceed.

Both Republicans and Democrats familiar with the process said, however, that Schiff's panel had acted properly in advising the person to contact an Inspector General and seek legal counsel.

Staff from eight Senate and House congressional committees, including Republicans and Democrats, also reacted with surprise on Wednesday after a briefing by the State Department's inspector general, Steve Linick.

At the briefing, which was held behind closed doors but not classified, Linick handed out packets of documents that the only lawmaker who attended, Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, described as "propaganda and disinformation."

Committee staff members who attended the briefing said it concerned a package of documents delivered to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that included allegations against Biden and Yovanovitch.

A photograph of one document, whose source was not disclosed, described a discredited theory promoted by Trump allies that Yovanovitch was installed in her post by billionaire George Soros, a Democratic donor frequently attacked by far-right activists.

The impeachment probe could lead to approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate. Republicans, however, have shown little appetite for ousting him.

A longtime US diplomat who served as President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine will tell his story to congressional committee staff on Thursday as part of a Democratic-led impeachment probe of the Republican president.

A longtime US diplomat who served as President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine will tell his story to congressional committee staff on Thursday as part of a Democratic-led impeachment probe of the Republican president. Kurt Volker resigned as special representative for Ukraine negotiations on Friday, the day after the public release of a whistleblower complaint that described him as trying to "contain the damage" from efforts by Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani to press Ukraine to investigate Democrats. Volker's meeting with the committee comes after an emotional day in the impeachment inquiry on Wednesday when Trump railed at journalists during a news conference, resorted to the use of an expletive on Twitter and called the probe "a hoax and a fraud" while pledging to cooperate. Democratic lawmakers had said earlier on Wednesday they were prepared to subpoena White House records about Trump's July 25 telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Charges that Trump pressured Zelenskiy in that call to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading rival in Trump's bid for re-election in 2020, helped prompt House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to announce a formal impeachment investigation last week. On Thursday, staff from the House Foreign Affairs, Intelligence and Oversight committees will conduct a transcribed interview with Volker. The 54-year-old, who is also a former US ambassador to NATO, is appearing voluntarily. The briefing will take place behind closed doors, the first of a series of events in the probe, none of them public, scheduled within the 10 days. More are expected. Late on Wednesday, US Representative Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the session with Volker, saying that Foreign Affairs Committee Republicans were not being given equal representation or the chance to question Volker. He also expressed concern that US Representative Eliot Engel, the Democratic House foreign affairs chairman, had ceded oversight of US foreign policy to the Intelligence Committee because that panel, he said, would lead the questioning of Volker. An Intelligence Committee aide said the panel's staff would conduct the interview because Pelosi had designated it as the lead committee in the impeachment inquiry. Intelligence Committee investigators have been working with the Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees, "both of which will have equal Majority and Minority representation," the aide said in an email. Representatives for the Foreign Affairs Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Friday, Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson will testify at an Intelligence Committee hearing. Marie Yovanovitch, who was the US ambassador in Kiev until Trump recalled her in May before her normal term was up, will meet with committee staff on October 11. 'Perfect'- or 'wrong'? Trump has denied wrongdoing, repeatedly calling his call with Zelenskiy "perfect." Pelosi dismissed that characterization at a news conference on Wednesday, saying: "It's not perfect - it's wrong." Some of Trump's Republican allies have joined him in seeking to discredit Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence panel, after a New York Times report on Wednesday that the whistleblower had contacted the committee for advice on how to proceed. Both Republicans and Democrats familiar with the process said, however, that Schiff's panel had acted properly in advising the person to contact an Inspector General and seek legal counsel. Staff from eight Senate and House congressional committees, including Republicans and Democrats, also reacted with surprise on Wednesday after a briefing by the State Department's inspector general, Steve Linick. At the briefing, which was held behind closed doors but not classified, Linick handed out packets of documents that the only lawmaker who attended, Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, described as "propaganda and disinformation." Committee staff members who attended the briefing said it concerned a package of documents delivered to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that included allegations against Biden and Yovanovitch. A photograph of one document, whose source was not disclosed, described a discredited theory promoted by Trump allies that Yovanovitch was installed in her post by billionaire George Soros, a Democratic donor frequently attacked by far-right activists. The impeachment probe could lead to approval of articles of impeachment - or formal charges - against Trump in the House. A trial on whether to remove Trump from office would then be held in the Republican-controlled Senate. Republicans, however, have shown little appetite for ousting him.

United States diplomat at center of Trump-Ukraine affair to meet House committee staff

Impeaching US president: How the process works

The crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates were nearly unanimous in praising House Democrats' decision to begin an impeachment inquiry into Republican President Donald Trump over accusations he sought foreign help to smear a political rival.

Now comes the hard part.

With impeachment set to overshadow the Democratic presidential primary race, how will candidates draw attention to their key policy issues, ranging from universal healthcare to income inequality?

After months of resisting pressure from fellow Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the launch of a formal impeachment effort on Tuesday, accusing Trump of seeking foreign help to damage Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden ahead of the November 2020 election.

Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine.

The impeachment inquiry ensures a partisan fight in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail in the coming months.

Kurt Meyer, Democratic party chairman for three rural Iowa counties north of Des Moines, the state's most populous city, said he expects the impeachment proceedings to energize the Democratic base.

"If a highly motivated person drags her mother and her husband and her second cousin twice removed to the polls, then it makes a difference," Meyer said.

But in a sign the probe could energize Trump's base as well, his re-election campaign raised a quarter of a million dollars in just 15 minutes on Tuesday in the immediate aftermath of Pelosi's announcement about the probe.

Trump was quick to portray himself as the victim of partisan Democratic attacks, while his campaign sent repeated fundraising appeals to his supporters on Tuesday pegged to the impeachment launch.

There is also a risk that any substantive policy discussions among the 19 Democrats running for the party's nomination to take on Trump in the 2020 election will be drowned out in the growing battle between allies and foes of Trump, several Democratic strategists and experts said.

"Trump has been the elephant in the room, but the democratic debates so far have been really policy centered. I think impeachment now takes center stage," said Erin O’Brien, associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Doug Heye, a Republican strategist who worked with congressional leaders, said Republican messaging just got simpler, if less positive.

"For Democrats running for president, breaking through on healthcare or the economy just got a lot tougher," he said. "Impeachment will be the dominant topic for a long time."

Subject of Trump's Affection

Biden, who leads polls in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to Trump, said on Tuesday he would back impeachment if the Republican president fails to comply with congressional requests for information on Ukraine and other matters.

Trump has raised unsubstantiated charges that Biden improperly tried to halt a Ukrainian probe of a company with ties to his son, without providing any evidence of wrongdoing by either.

Later on Tuesday as he called into a fundraiser in Baltimore, Maryland, Biden said he "can take these attacks".

“And the reason I am being attacked is that most polls show me beating him by 10 to 15 points. I am not at all surprised I have become the object of his affection and attention," he said.

Biden leads Trump by about 5 percentage points in a hypothetical general election match-up against Trump, according to the Sept. 23-24 Reuters /Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday.

In a sign that Biden's supporters are largely standing by their candidate so far, 20 per cent of Democrats and independents said they would vote for him in statewide nominating contests that begin next year according to the latest poll, up 1 percentage point from a similar poll that ran last week.

But the same poll also showed that Americans overall are less supportive of impeaching Trump than they were months ago, highlighting a risk of the move backfiring on Democrats if they are seen overreaching.

"On one level, this whole issue helps Biden, because it makes the president look afraid of Biden," said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia. "But the president has a great ability to drag people into the mud with him, and you wonder if that might happen to Biden."

Biden's Democratic rivals, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Kamala Harris, are set to benefit if the front-runner falls off. But most have so far refused to be drawn into specific questions about Biden and his family, and are likely to stay that way for now.

"On the one hand they want to see Biden struggle, but it might undermine the party overall in a general election," Kondik said.

Warren, who edged past Sanders for the first time to rank second behind Biden in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll with 14 &nbsp;per cent support, said on Twitter the impeachment inquiry was "an overdue but important step."

"No one is above the law not even the president of the United States," Warren said, without mentioning Biden. "Thank you to everyone who protested, organized, and asked the crucial questions to get us to this moment.

So far, Trump has proven remarkably resilient in the face of repeated scandals and retaining strong support from Republicans.

Democrats should act swiftly to convince voters their actions are necessary and prevent Trump from successfully arguing he is being unfairly prosecuted, said Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist who advised Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.

Rebecca Cordova, 62, from the suburbs of Austin, Texas, who describes herself as an independent but voted for Trump in 2016, said it would take strong evidence of wrongdoing to dissuade her from voting for him again.

“I think the Democrats are just blowing smoke. They’re just trying to start something up like they did with (Russia)," she said, refering to former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian inteference in the 2016 US presidential election.

"I don’t believe the Russians helped and I don’t believe any of this with the Ukrainians, sorry."

The crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates were nearly unanimous in praising House Democrats' decision to begin an impeachment inquiry into Republican President Donald Trump over accusations he sought foreign help to smear a political rival.

The crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates were nearly unanimous in praising House Democrats' decision to begin an impeachment inquiry into Republican President Donald Trump over accusations he sought foreign help to smear a political rival. Now comes the hard part. With impeachment set to overshadow the Democratic presidential primary race, how will candidates draw attention to their key policy issues, ranging from universal healthcare to income inequality? After months of resisting pressure from fellow Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the launch of a formal impeachment effort on Tuesday, accusing Trump of seeking foreign help to damage Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden ahead of the November 2020 election. Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Biden and his son Hunter, who had worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine. The impeachment inquiry ensures a partisan fight in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail in the coming months. Kurt Meyer, Democratic party chairman for three rural Iowa counties north of Des Moines, the state's most populous city, said he expects the impeachment proceedings to energize the Democratic base. "If a highly motivated person drags her mother and her husband and her second cousin twice removed to the polls, then it makes a difference," Meyer said. But in a sign the probe could energize Trump's base as well, his re-election campaign raised a quarter of a million dollars in just 15 minutes on Tuesday in the immediate aftermath of Pelosi's announcement about the probe. Trump was quick to portray himself as the victim of partisan Democratic attacks, while his campaign sent repeated fundraising appeals to his supporters on Tuesday pegged to the impeachment launch. There is also a risk that any substantive policy discussions among the 19 Democrats running for the party's nomination to take on Trump in the 2020 election will be drowned out in the growing battle between allies and foes of Trump, several Democratic strategists and experts said. "Trump has been the elephant in the room, but the democratic debates so far have been really policy centered. I think impeachment now takes center stage," said Erin O’Brien, associate professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Doug Heye, a Republican strategist who worked with congressional leaders, said Republican messaging just got simpler, if less positive. "For Democrats running for president, breaking through on healthcare or the economy just got a lot tougher," he said. "Impeachment will be the dominant topic for a long time." Subject of Trump's Affection Biden, who leads polls in the Democratic race to pick a challenger to Trump, said on Tuesday he would back impeachment if the Republican president fails to comply with congressional requests for information on Ukraine and other matters. Trump has raised unsubstantiated charges that Biden improperly tried to halt a Ukrainian probe of a company with ties to his son, without providing any evidence of wrongdoing by either. Later on Tuesday as he called into a fundraiser in Baltimore, Maryland, Biden said he "can take these attacks". “And the reason I am being attacked is that most polls show me beating him by 10 to 15 points. I am not at all surprised I have become the object of his affection and attention," he said. Biden leads Trump by about 5 percentage points in a hypothetical general election match-up against Trump, according to the Sept. 23-24 Reuters /Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday. In a sign that Biden's supporters are largely standing by their candidate so far, 20 per cent of Democrats and independents said they would vote for him in statewide nominating contests that begin next year according to the latest poll, up 1 percentage point from a similar poll that ran last week. But the same poll also showed that Americans overall are less supportive of impeaching Trump than they were months ago, highlighting a risk of the move backfiring on Democrats if they are seen overreaching. "On one level, this whole issue helps Biden, because it makes the president look afraid of Biden," said Kyle Kondik, a political analyst at the University of Virginia. "But the president has a great ability to drag people into the mud with him, and you wonder if that might happen to Biden." Biden's Democratic rivals, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Kamala Harris, are set to benefit if the front-runner falls off. But most have so far refused to be drawn into specific questions about Biden and his family, and are likely to stay that way for now. "On the one hand they want to see Biden struggle, but it might undermine the party overall in a general election," Kondik said. Warren, who edged past Sanders for the first time to rank second behind Biden in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll with 14 per cent support, said on Twitter the impeachment inquiry was "an overdue but important step." "No one is above the law not even the president of the United States," Warren said, without mentioning Biden. "Thank you to everyone who protested, organized, and asked the crucial questions to get us to this moment. So far, Trump has proven remarkably resilient in the face of repeated scandals and retaining strong support from Republicans. Democrats should act swiftly to convince voters their actions are necessary and prevent Trump from successfully arguing he is being unfairly prosecuted, said Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist who advised Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Rebecca Cordova, 62, from the suburbs of Austin, Texas, who describes herself as an independent but voted for Trump in 2016, said it would take strong evidence of wrongdoing to dissuade her from voting for him again. “I think the Democrats are just blowing smoke. They’re just trying to start something up like they did with (Russia)," she said, refering to former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian inteference in the 2016 US presidential election. "I don’t believe the Russians helped and I don’t believe any of this with the Ukrainians, sorry."

Be careful what you wish for: Impeachment inquiry poses risks for 2020 Democrats

The US House of Representatives will launch a formal impeachment inquiry into US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/have-authorised-release-of-fully-declassified-transcript-of-my-call-with-ukraines-president-donald-trump-251831">Donald Trump</a> over reports he sought foreign help to smear a political rival, setting up a dramatic clash between Congress and the White House that has spilled into the 2020 presidential campaign.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers, saying Trump's actions appeared to have undermined national security and violated the US Constitution.

"The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort.

Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry "Witch Hunt garbage."

Pelosi's change of heart followed reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son.

Trump promised on Tuesday to release a transcript of his phone call. He has acknowledged he discussed Biden in the call, but denied he withheld nearly $400 million in US aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelenskiy to launch a probe that would damage Biden, who leads opinion polls in the Democratic race to face Trump in the November 2020 election.

Pelosi said the six congressional committees currently investigating Trump would continue with their probes as part of the inquiry.

"The actions of the Trump presidency revealed a dishonourable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said.

The impeachment inquiry could eventually lead to Trump's removal from office. But even if the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate would have to take the next step of removing him from office after a trial.

It will be the first impeachment inquiry in Congress since the 1998 probe of President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

The House voted to impeach Clinton in December 1998, but the Democratic president was acquitted two months later by the Senate and remained in office.

Biden said he would back impeachment if the president did not fully comply with congressional investigations.

'This will last forever'

"If we allow a president to get away with shredding the Constitution, that will last forever," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, in his home state of Delaware.

Most Democratic presidential contenders support an impeachment inquiry, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; former US Representative Beto O'Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro.

"The House must impeach," Warren, the first major contender to call for impeachment following former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Trump, who has withstood repeated scandals since taking office in January 2017, said a "complete, fully declassified and unredacted" transcript of the July 25 call would be released on Wednesday.

Democrats are also seeking the original complaint about Trump's call, filed by a whistleblower within the US intelligence community, as well as information on deliberations over the Ukrainian aid.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel was communicating with an attorney representing the whistleblower and that the individual would like to testify this week.

The US Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday calling on the Ukraine whistleblower complaint to be submitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees. Trump administration officials so far have refused to let the complaint be submitted.

"I cannot imagine any legitimate or straight-faced reason" to object to the legislation, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, arguing the only reason would be "to protect the president from accountability."

The House will vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday.

Trump said the transcript would show the Ukraine call was "totally appropriate," that he had not pressured Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and that there had been no "quid pro quo" for U.S. aid in exchange for a probe. Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase meaning favour that is exchanged for favour.

Trump has produced no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son.

"When you see the readout of the call, which I assume you'll see at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Trump indicated there was nothing sinister about withholding the aid to Ukraine but he wanted Europe and not just the United States to step up and provide Ukraine assistance.

The money was later released by the Trump administration. Trump told reporters he had wanted the money for Ukraine frozen, but changed his mind after "people called me."

US intelligence agencies and the special counsel previously concluded that Russia boosted Trump's 2016 presidential election bid with a campaign of hacking and propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress had not been made aware of any substantive review of security assistance to Ukraine or any policy reason the funds should have been withheld.

The US House of Representatives will launch a formal impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump over reports he sought foreign help to smear a political rival, setting up a dramatic clash between Congress and the White House that has spilled into the 2020 presidential campaign.

The US House of Representatives will launch a formal impeachment inquiry into US President Donald Trump over reports he sought foreign help to smear a political rival, setting up a dramatic clash between Congress and the White House that has spilled into the 2020 presidential campaign. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the inquiry on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with Democratic lawmakers, saying Trump's actions appeared to have undermined national security and violated the US Constitution. "The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," said Pelosi, who for months had been reluctant to embrace an impeachment effort. Trump fired back quickly on Twitter, calling the inquiry "Witch Hunt garbage." Pelosi's change of heart followed reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July 25 phone call to investigate Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and his son. Trump promised on Tuesday to release a transcript of his phone call. He has acknowledged he discussed Biden in the call, but denied he withheld nearly $400 million in US aid to Ukraine as leverage to get Zelenskiy to launch a probe that would damage Biden, who leads opinion polls in the Democratic race to face Trump in the November 2020 election. Pelosi said the six congressional committees currently investigating Trump would continue with their probes as part of the inquiry. "The actions of the Trump presidency revealed a dishonourable fact of the president's betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections," Pelosi said. The impeachment inquiry could eventually lead to Trump's removal from office. But even if the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate would have to take the next step of removing him from office after a trial. It will be the first impeachment inquiry in Congress since the 1998 probe of President Bill Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House voted to impeach Clinton in December 1998, but the Democratic president was acquitted two months later by the Senate and remained in office. Biden said he would back impeachment if the president did not fully comply with congressional investigations. 'This will last forever' "If we allow a president to get away with shredding the Constitution, that will last forever," Biden told reporters in Wilmington, in his home state of Delaware. Most Democratic presidential contenders support an impeachment inquiry, including US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobuchar; former US Representative Beto O'Rourke; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; and former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro. "The House must impeach," Warren, the first major contender to call for impeachment following former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 election, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. Trump, who has withstood repeated scandals since taking office in January 2017, said a "complete, fully declassified and unredacted" transcript of the July 25 call would be released on Wednesday. Democrats are also seeking the original complaint about Trump's call, filed by a whistleblower within the US intelligence community, as well as information on deliberations over the Ukrainian aid. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said his panel was communicating with an attorney representing the whistleblower and that the individual would like to testify this week. The US Senate approved a resolution on Tuesday calling on the Ukraine whistleblower complaint to be submitted to the Senate and House Intelligence committees. Trump administration officials so far have refused to let the complaint be submitted. "I cannot imagine any legitimate or straight-faced reason" to object to the legislation, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said, arguing the only reason would be "to protect the president from accountability." The House will vote on a similar resolution on Wednesday. Trump said the transcript would show the Ukraine call was "totally appropriate," that he had not pressured Zelenskiy to investigate Biden and that there had been no "quid pro quo" for U.S. aid in exchange for a probe. Quid pro quo is a Latin phrase meaning favour that is exchanged for favour. Trump has produced no evidence of wrongdoing by Biden or his son. "When you see the readout of the call, which I assume you'll see at some point, you'll understand. That call was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer," Trump told reporters at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Trump indicated there was nothing sinister about withholding the aid to Ukraine but he wanted Europe and not just the United States to step up and provide Ukraine assistance. The money was later released by the Trump administration. Trump told reporters he had wanted the money for Ukraine frozen, but changed his mind after "people called me." US intelligence agencies and the special counsel previously concluded that Russia boosted Trump's 2016 presidential election bid with a campaign of hacking and propaganda aimed at harming his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. Senator Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Congress had not been made aware of any substantive review of security assistance to Ukraine or any policy reason the funds should have been withheld.

US House to launch Trump impeachment inquiry over Ukraine controversy

US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-makes-unscheduled-appearance-at-united-nations-climate-summit-251577">Donald Trump </a>on Monday denied trying to coerce Ukraine into investigating his Democratic political rival Joe Biden, but wavered about whether he would release a transcript of a phone call that some Democrats say is grounds for his impeachment.

Trump told reporters in New York that he did not pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July phone call to launch a corruption investigation into Biden and his son in return for U.S. military aid.

"No I didn't", Trump said.

A U.S. whistleblower lodged a complaint about the contents of Trump's conversation with Zelenskiy, leading to calls from some Democrats for Trump to be impeached for trying to enlist a foreign power to smear a domestic opponent.

Biden, a former vice president, whose son Hunter worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine, is the front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election.

Trump gave a contradictory message about whether he would release a transcript of the call with the Ukrainian leader.

"I may do it because it was a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-feud-heats-up-donald-trump-says-joe-biden-was-subject-of-ukraine-call-251345">very interesting call</a>," Trump said. "It was a very nice call. I hope you get to see it and I hope you get to see it soon,” he said.

But he added: "I don’t think it’s a great precedent to be releasing calls with foreign countries, heads of foreign countries. So I don’t think it’s a great precedent."

Earlier on Monday, Trump shrugged off the impeachment talk, saying he was not taking it seriously.

Democrats Seek Documents

Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives have called a caucus meeting for Tuesday afternoon to discuss the whistleblower complaint, a leadership aide said.

Congressional Democrats on Monday demanded documents from the White House about Trump team's contacts with Ukraine.

Three House committees - Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight - called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to produce documents related to contacts between Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Ukrainian officials.

The Democratic-led committees said in a letter that they "jointly request documents related to reported efforts by President Trump and his associates to improperly pressure the Ukrainian government to assist the president’s bid for reelection."

Trump hit out on Monday at Biden, calling him and his son "corrupt."

Neither the president nor aides have provided any details of possible corruption by Biden when he was Vice-President under Trump's predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama.

There has been no evidence so far that Biden used his position as vice president to help his son, and he said in Iowa this past weekend that he had never discussed Hunter Biden’s business in Ukraine with his son

Ukrainian officials, while acknowledging they had met with Giuliani, have not said that they would not open any investigation of Biden or his son.

Ukraine's former general prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, told Reuters on Friday that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Biden's son in his relationship with the energy firm.

The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported on Friday that Trump repeatedly asked the Ukrainian leader in the phone call to investigate the involvement of Biden's son with the company. He also asked Zelenskiy to work with Giuliani, who had been urging Ukrainian officials to investigate the Bidens.

On Sunday, Trump acknowledged that he discussed Biden and his son in the July 25 call.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate Intelligence Committee was working to get the intelligence community's inspector general to speak to the panel to discuss the whistleblower's allegations.

A Senate aide said a briefing with the panel's Chairman and Vice-Chairman was expected to occur this week.

The media reports about the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-demands-trump-release-transcript-of-july-phone-call-with-ukrainian-president-250940">phone call</a> said Trump repeatedly asked Zelenskiy to investigate whether Biden misused his position as Vice-President to threaten to withhold US&nbsp;aid unless a prosecutor who was looking into the gas company in which Biden's son was involved was fired.

Biden has confirmed he wanted the prosecutor fired but denies it was to help his son. Biden said the wider US&nbsp;government, the European Union and other international institutions also wanted the prosecutor fired for his alleged failure to pursue major corruption cases.

A top official in Zelenskiy's administration told Reuters that Ukraine wanted to stay out of the domestic political battle in Washington and that any attempt by either side to take advantage of Ukraine would damage relations.

US President Donald Trump on Monday denied trying to coerce Ukraine into investigating his Democratic political rival Joe Biden, but wavered about whether he would release a transcript of a phone call that some Democrats say is grounds for his impeachment.

US President Donald Trump on Monday denied trying to coerce Ukraine into investigating his Democratic political rival Joe Biden, but wavered about whether he would release a transcript of a phone call that some Democrats say is grounds for his impeachment. Trump told reporters in New York that he did not pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a July phone call to launch a corruption investigation into Biden and his son in return for U.S. military aid. "No I didn't", Trump said. A U.S. whistleblower lodged a complaint about the contents of Trump's conversation with Zelenskiy, leading to calls from some Democrats for Trump to be impeached for trying to enlist a foreign power to smear a domestic opponent. Biden, a former vice president, whose son Hunter worked for a company drilling for gas in Ukraine, is the front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination to face Trump in the November 2020 election. Trump gave a contradictory message about whether he would release a transcript of the call with the Ukrainian leader. "I may do it because it was a very interesting call," Trump said. "It was a very nice call. I hope you get to see it and I hope you get to see it soon,” he said. But he added: "I don’t think it’s a great precedent to be releasing calls with foreign countries, heads of foreign countries. So I don’t think it’s a great precedent." Earlier on Monday, Trump shrugged off the impeachment talk, saying he was not taking it seriously. Democrats Seek Documents Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives have called a caucus meeting for Tuesday afternoon to discuss the whistleblower complaint, a leadership aide said. Congressional Democrats on Monday demanded documents from the White House about Trump team's contacts with Ukraine. Three House committees - Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight - called on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to produce documents related to contacts between Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Ukrainian officials. The Democratic-led committees said in a letter that they "jointly request documents related to reported efforts by President Trump and his associates to improperly pressure the Ukrainian government to assist the president’s bid for reelection." Trump hit out on Monday at Biden, calling him and his son "corrupt." Neither the president nor aides have provided any details of possible corruption by Biden when he was Vice-President under Trump's predecessor, Democratic President Barack Obama. There has been no evidence so far that Biden used his position as vice president to help his son, and he said in Iowa this past weekend that he had never discussed Hunter Biden’s business in Ukraine with his son Ukrainian officials, while acknowledging they had met with Giuliani, have not said that they would not open any investigation of Biden or his son. Ukraine's former general prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, told Reuters on Friday that there was no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Biden's son in his relationship with the energy firm. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times reported on Friday that Trump repeatedly asked the Ukrainian leader in the phone call to investigate the involvement of Biden's son with the company. He also asked Zelenskiy to work with Giuliani, who had been urging Ukrainian officials to investigate the Bidens. On Sunday, Trump acknowledged that he discussed Biden and his son in the July 25 call. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate Intelligence Committee was working to get the intelligence community's inspector general to speak to the panel to discuss the whistleblower's allegations. A Senate aide said a briefing with the panel's Chairman and Vice-Chairman was expected to occur this week. The media reports about the phone call said Trump repeatedly asked Zelenskiy to investigate whether Biden misused his position as Vice-President to threaten to withhold US aid unless a prosecutor who was looking into the gas company in which Biden's son was involved was fired. Biden has confirmed he wanted the prosecutor fired but denies it was to help his son. Biden said the wider US government, the European Union and other international institutions also wanted the prosecutor fired for his alleged failure to pursue major corruption cases. A top official in Zelenskiy's administration told Reuters that Ukraine wanted to stay out of the domestic political battle in Washington and that any attempt by either side to take advantage of Ukraine would damage relations.

Donald Trump denies pressurising Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden for corruption

US Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday said Washington will continue to support Ukraine, after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Warsaw, reported news agency Reuters.

US Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday said Washington will continue to support Ukraine, after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Warsaw, reported news agency Reuters. Washington is a key ally for Kiev, having imposed sanctions on Russia for annexing Crimea in 2014 and backing pro-Moscow separatists in Ukraine's east. Pence and Zelenskiy were in Warsaw for commemoration to mark the 80th anniversary of the start of World War Two.

US Vice President Pence says US will continue to support Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's party took a commanding lead in Sunday's snap parliamentary election, handing the novice politician a broader mandate for driving change and tackling corruption in the war-scarred nation.

A comedian with no prior policymaking experience, Zelenskiy gained fame playing a schoolteacher who becomes president in a TV comedy. He won a landslide victory in a presidential vote in April, running as an outsider who would tackle corruption and raise living standards in one of Europe's poorest countries.

The 41-year-old has had to deal with a cabinet and lawmakers who are mostly loyal to his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, prompting him to announce on the day of his inauguration a snap election to win a mandate in parliament.

Exit polls showed his Servant of the People party far ahead of its nearest challenger, although possibly short of a majority. The Russian-friendly Opposition Platform was placed in a distant second place, followed by Poroshenko's party and that of a former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko.

The Voice party, fronted by another newcomer to politics, rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, was fifth.

A triumphant Zelenskiy said he would invite Voice for coalition talks. Vakarchuk's pro-Western party said it was open to an alliance with new political forces so long as they were not backed by oligarchs.

FIRMER GRIP

The election gives Zelenskiy a firmer grip on a country at the centre of a dispute between Moscow and the West that arose from Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014 support for separatist rebels in the east.

The new government will also need to implement reforms agreed with international donors to secure billions of dollars of new loans to keep the economy stable.

Zelenskiy, after casting his ballot in north Kiev, said he would decide on coalition options after results were known.

"(But) Honestly, we don't see a coalition with anyone from the old leadership," he said.

He wanted a professional economist as prime minister and said he was holding consultations with a possible candidate he did not identify. "I would like him to be an absolutely independent person, who has never been either a prime minister or a speaker or a leader of any faction."

Beyond his everyman image, Zelenskiy has faced scrutiny over his business connections to one of Ukraine's most powerful tycoons, Ihor Kolomoisky, owner of the TV station that brought Zelenskiy fame. Zelenskiy insists he is not beholden to Kolomoisky and will not take his side in a dispute with the state over control of Ukraine's biggest bank.

Zelenskiy will seek a new aid-for-reforms programme with the International Monetary Fund and has promised crowd-pleasing anti-corruption measures, such as stripping lawmakers of immunity from prosecution.

Often tie-less and speaking to voters through social media videos, Zelenskiy has carried his informal style from the campaign trail into the presidency.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's party took a commanding lead in Sunday's snap parliamentary election, handing the novice politician a broader mandate for driving change and tackling corruption in the war-scarred nation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's party took a commanding lead in Sunday's snap parliamentary election, handing the novice politician a broader mandate for driving change and tackling corruption in the war-scarred nation. A comedian with no prior policymaking experience, Zelenskiy gained fame playing a schoolteacher who becomes president in a TV comedy. He won a landslide victory in a presidential vote in April, running as an outsider who would tackle corruption and raise living standards in one of Europe's poorest countries. The 41-year-old has had to deal with a cabinet and lawmakers who are mostly loyal to his predecessor Petro Poroshenko, prompting him to announce on the day of his inauguration a snap election to win a mandate in parliament. Exit polls showed his Servant of the People party far ahead of its nearest challenger, although possibly short of a majority. The Russian-friendly Opposition Platform was placed in a distant second place, followed by Poroshenko's party and that of a former prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko. The Voice party, fronted by another newcomer to politics, rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, was fifth. A triumphant Zelenskiy said he would invite Voice for coalition talks. Vakarchuk's pro-Western party said it was open to an alliance with new political forces so long as they were not backed by oligarchs. FIRMER GRIP The election gives Zelenskiy a firmer grip on a country at the centre of a dispute between Moscow and the West that arose from Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014 support for separatist rebels in the east. The new government will also need to implement reforms agreed with international donors to secure billions of dollars of new loans to keep the economy stable. Zelenskiy, after casting his ballot in north Kiev, said he would decide on coalition options after results were known. "(But) Honestly, we don't see a coalition with anyone from the old leadership," he said. He wanted a professional economist as prime minister and said he was holding consultations with a possible candidate he did not identify. "I would like him to be an absolutely independent person, who has never been either a prime minister or a speaker or a leader of any faction." Beyond his everyman image, Zelenskiy has faced scrutiny over his business connections to one of Ukraine's most powerful tycoons, Ihor Kolomoisky, owner of the TV station that brought Zelenskiy fame. Zelenskiy insists he is not beholden to Kolomoisky and will not take his side in a dispute with the state over control of Ukraine's biggest bank. Zelenskiy will seek a new aid-for-reforms programme with the International Monetary Fund and has promised crowd-pleasing anti-corruption measures, such as stripping lawmakers of immunity from prosecution. Often tie-less and speaking to voters through social media videos, Zelenskiy has carried his informal style from the campaign trail into the presidency.

On course for election win, Ukraine president offers alliance with rockstar Svyatoslav Vakarchuk's party

Angela Merkel had suffered yet another trembling spell as she met Finland's visiting prime minister on Wednesday. This is German Chancellor's third spell within the last month. However, a government spokesman said she was fine.

Merkel shook back and forth as she stood outside and looked uncomfortable as she watched a military ceremony marking Antti Rinne's arrival, reports news agency Reuters.

Merkel's office has given no explanation for her shaking episodes, prompting German media speculation about the cause. The chancellor, 64, has no history of serious health issues.

"The chancellor is fine and the talks with the Finnish prime minister are going on as planned," &nbsp;the report said quoting a government spokesman.

After the first shaking episode, when she met visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on June 18, Merkel said she felt better after drinking some water.

She was also seen shaking on June 27 when she met German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier but her spokesman said she was fine and she later went ahead with her planned trip to Japan for a G20 summit. A government official told Reuters that was more a psychological issue as she tried desperately to avoid a repeat.

In power for 14 years, Merkel is renowned for her work ethic and has a reputation for outlasting other leaders at EU summits with her ability to focus on the details of complex discussions deep into the night.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Angela Merkel had suffered yet another trembling spell as she met Finland's visiting prime minister on Wednesday. This is German Chancellor's third spell within the last month.

Angela Merkel had suffered yet another trembling spell as she met Finland's visiting prime minister on Wednesday. This is German Chancellor's third spell within the last month. However, a government spokesman said she was fine. Merkel shook back and forth as she stood outside and looked uncomfortable as she watched a military ceremony marking Antti Rinne's arrival, reports news agency Reuters. Merkel's office has given no explanation for her shaking episodes, prompting German media speculation about the cause. The chancellor, 64, has no history of serious health issues. "The chancellor is fine and the talks with the Finnish prime minister are going on as planned," the report said quoting a government spokesman. After the first shaking episode, when she met visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on June 18, Merkel said she felt better after drinking some water. She was also seen shaking on June 27 when she met German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier but her spokesman said she was fine and she later went ahead with her planned trip to Japan for a G20 summit. A government official told Reuters that was more a psychological issue as she tried desperately to avoid a repeat. In power for 14 years, Merkel is renowned for her work ethic and has a reputation for outlasting other leaders at EU summits with her ability to focus on the details of complex discussions deep into the night. (With inputs from Reuters)

Merkel says 'very well, no need to worry' after yet another trembling spell

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was seen shaking when she met visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday (June 18) but said she had since drunk water and was feeling better.

Angela Merkel says recovered from shaking bout after drinking water

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was seen shaking when she met visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday but said she had since drunk water and was feeling better. Merkel looked as if she were struggling to stand up while she and Zelenskiy listened to national anthems during military honours upon his arrival.

Merkel says recovered from shaking bout after drinking water

Ukraine's parliament voted to reject Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman's resignation on Thursday, with the largest faction arguing his resignation would lead to "chaos" before a snap election due in July.

Groysman had resigned after the inauguration of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, saying Zelenskiy had turned down his overtures for cooperation.

Zelenskiy has called a snap election for July 21, which his party is expected to win.

Ukraine's parliament voted to reject Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman's resignation on Thursday, with the largest faction arguing his resignation would lead to "chaos" before a snap election due in July.

Ukraine's parliament voted to reject Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman's resignation on Thursday, with the largest faction arguing his resignation would lead to "chaos" before a snap election due in July. Groysman had resigned after the inauguration of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, saying Zelenskiy had turned down his overtures for cooperation. Zelenskiy has called a snap election for July 21, which his party is expected to win.

Ukrainian parliament rejects prime minister's resignation

Volodymyr Zelenskiy was sworn in as President of Ukraine on Monday (May 20) in the country's parliament. The ceremony included Zelenskiy taking an oath and receiving President of Ukraine's regalia including a sign, a seal and a club.

TV comedian Zelenskiy sworn in as President of Ukraine

The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an urgent meeting for Thursday afternoon (local time) to address the situation in Eastern Ukraine.

The development comes in the backdrop of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-eases-citizenship-rules-in-east-ukraine-213296&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj25oSvluvhAhUq4XMBHWYoBGYQFjAAegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0C05FmWHBgcc6Oq6zhnHGY">Russian President Vladimir Putin signing a decree</a> on Wednesday that would grant individuals residing in certain districts of eastern Ukraine the right to apply for Russian citizenship using a simplified procedure.

Following the announcement, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations Volodymyr Yelchenko had said that he would ask the UN Security Council to halt Russia from enacting the decree, according to DW news agency.

The decree was signed 24 hours after Ukraine`s election commission officially declared Volodymyr Zelenskiy as the winner of the country`s recently held presidential elections.

The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an urgent meeting for Thursday afternoon (local time) to address the situation in Eastern Ukraine. The development comes in the backdrop of Russian President Vladimir Putin signing a decree on Wednesday that would grant individuals residing in certain districts of eastern Ukraine the right to apply for Russian citizenship using a simplified procedure.

The United Nations Security Council has scheduled an urgent meeting for Thursday afternoon (local time) to address the situation in Eastern Ukraine. The development comes in the backdrop of Russian President Vladimir Putin signing a decree on Wednesday that would grant individuals residing in certain districts of eastern Ukraine the right to apply for Russian citizenship using a simplified procedure. Following the announcement, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations Volodymyr Yelchenko had said that he would ask the UN Security Council to halt Russia from enacting the decree, according to DW news agency. The decree was signed 24 hours after Ukraine`s election commission officially declared Volodymyr Zelenskiy as the winner of the country`s recently held presidential elections.

UNSC schedules urgent meeting to address situation in eastern Ukraine

The two men vying to be Ukraine’s next president traded insults in a raucous debate on Friday in front of thousands of supporter. Watch full video to know more.

Ukraine's presidential candidates trade insults in rowdy stadium debate

Challenge accepted: comedian and incumbent to debate in Ukraine's run-off at stadium

Comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy leads presidential polls

Ukrainians will cast their ballots in a presidential election on Sunday in which a comedian with no political experience and who plays a fictional president in a popular TV series is tipped to win the first round.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, 41, who is appealing to voters fed up with entrenched corruption, has consistently led opinion polls in a three-horse race against<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-to-hold-presidential-election-today-206889"> incumbent President</a> Petro Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

At stake is the leadership of a country on the front line of the West's standoff with Russia after the 2014 Maidan street protests ejected Poroshenko's Kremlin-friendly predecessor and Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula.

Investors are watching to see if the next president will push reforms required to keep the country in an International Monetary Fund bailout programme that has supported Ukraine through war, sharp recession and a currency plunge.

No candidate is expected to receive more than half the votes, meaning the election would go to a run-off on April 21. Out of a crowded field of 39 candidates, none of the likely winners wants to move Ukraine back into Russia's orbit.

Poroshenko has fought to integrate the country with the European Union and NATO, while strengthening the military which is fighting Kremlin-backed separatists in the east of the country.

Pushing the use of the Ukrainian language and instrumental in establishing a new independent Orthodox church, the 53-year-old confectionary magnate casts himself as the man to prevent Ukraine again becoming a Russian vassal state.

But reforms crucial to keep foreign aid flowing have been patchy. Conflict in the eastern Donbass region has killed 13,000 people in five years and rumbles on despite Poroshenko's promise to end it within weeks. Frustration over low living standards and pervasive corruption has left the door open for Zelenskiy.

Anti-establishment&nbsp;

Just 9 per cent of Ukrainians have confidence in their national government, the lowest of any electorate in the world, a Gallup poll published in March showed.

Zelenskiy has tapped into the anti-establishment mood, though his inexperience makes Western officials and foreign investors wary and sceptics question his fitness to be a wartime commander-in-chief.

Inviting comparisons with U.S. President Donald Trump and Italy's Five-Star movement, his campaign has relied heavily on social media and comedy gigs of jokes, sketches and song-and-dance routines that poke fun at his political rivals.

"He embodies the perceived need for 'new faces' in politics and could sway the young, pro-reform electorate to his side," said Economist Intelligence Unit analyst Agnese Ortolani.

Zelenskiy's campaign has blurred the line between reality and the TV series in which he plays a scrupulously honest history teacher who accidentally becomes president.

In series three, which began airing in March, his character is flung into prison and the country falls under the control of oligarchs, populists and ultranationalists, and eventually gets broken up into 28 states. Thinly-disguised characters resembling Poroshenko and Tymoshenko come to power.

The election has been marred by allegations of fraud and vote-buying, meaning one or more of the candidates could contest the result. Ultranationalists acting as election observers have also caused concern about the prospect of violence.

Accused of cheating by Tymoshenko, Poroshenko attended a public prayer on the banks of the Dnieper river in Kiev on Saturday to pray for the elections to be free and fair and, in his words, for "the wisdom of the people who tomorrow will determine the future of Ukraine."

 
&nbsp;

Ukrainians will cast their ballots in a presidential election on Sunday in which a comedian with no political experience and who plays a fictional president in a popular TV series is tipped to win the first round.

Ukrainians will cast their ballots in a presidential election on Sunday in which a comedian with no political experience and who plays a fictional president in a popular TV series is tipped to win the first round. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, 41, who is appealing to voters fed up with entrenched corruption, has consistently led opinion polls in a three-horse race against incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. At stake is the leadership of a country on the front line of the West's standoff with Russia after the 2014 Maidan street protests ejected Poroshenko's Kremlin-friendly predecessor and Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula. Investors are watching to see if the next president will push reforms required to keep the country in an International Monetary Fund bailout programme that has supported Ukraine through war, sharp recession and a currency plunge. No candidate is expected to receive more than half the votes, meaning the election would go to a run-off on April 21. Out of a crowded field of 39 candidates, none of the likely winners wants to move Ukraine back into Russia's orbit. Poroshenko has fought to integrate the country with the European Union and NATO, while strengthening the military which is fighting Kremlin-backed separatists in the east of the country. Pushing the use of the Ukrainian language and instrumental in establishing a new independent Orthodox church, the 53-year-old confectionary magnate casts himself as the man to prevent Ukraine again becoming a Russian vassal state. But reforms crucial to keep foreign aid flowing have been patchy. Conflict in the eastern Donbass region has killed 13,000 people in five years and rumbles on despite Poroshenko's promise to end it within weeks. Frustration over low living standards and pervasive corruption has left the door open for Zelenskiy. Anti-establishment Just 9 per cent of Ukrainians have confidence in their national government, the lowest of any electorate in the world, a Gallup poll published in March showed. Zelenskiy has tapped into the anti-establishment mood, though his inexperience makes Western officials and foreign investors wary and sceptics question his fitness to be a wartime commander-in-chief. Inviting comparisons with U.S. President Donald Trump and Italy's Five-Star movement, his campaign has relied heavily on social media and comedy gigs of jokes, sketches and song-and-dance routines that poke fun at his political rivals. "He embodies the perceived need for 'new faces' in politics and could sway the young, pro-reform electorate to his side," said Economist Intelligence Unit analyst Agnese Ortolani. Zelenskiy's campaign has blurred the line between reality and the TV series in which he plays a scrupulously honest history teacher who accidentally becomes president. In series three, which began airing in March, his character is flung into prison and the country falls under the control of oligarchs, populists and ultranationalists, and eventually gets broken up into 28 states. Thinly-disguised characters resembling Poroshenko and Tymoshenko come to power. The election has been marred by allegations of fraud and vote-buying, meaning one or more of the candidates could contest the result. Ultranationalists acting as election observers have also caused concern about the prospect of violence. Accused of cheating by Tymoshenko, Poroshenko attended a public prayer on the banks of the Dnieper river in Kiev on Saturday to pray for the elections to be free and fair and, in his words, for "the wisdom of the people who tomorrow will determine the future of Ukraine."

Comedian in front as curtain rises on Ukrainian presidential election