US President Donald Trump has commented on the ongoing political scandal involving him and Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky, stressing that it was a "perfect phone call" and that if it is not considered appropriate, then "no future President can ever again speak to another foreign leader".
The actual transcript of the conversation between the two leaders, released by the White House on 25 September, says that Trump, during the call, repeatedly asked Zelensky to "look into" former Vice President Joe Biden’s role in removing Ukraine’s former chief prosecutor Viktor Shokin in 2016.
If that perfect phone call with the President of Ukraine Isn’t considered appropriate, then no future President can EVER again speak to another foreign leader!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 27, 2019
House Democrats have launched impeachment proceedings against Trump, saying that he sought to pressure a foreign government into assisting his re-election campaign. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the US president of seeking Ukraine’s help to smear Joe Biden, who is a contender for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, and of using defence assistance to Ukraine as a bargaining tool.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and has accused the Democrats of launching another "witch hunt" against him.
Last week, the US media reported that, during the July phone call, Trump urged Zelensky to investigate the business dealings of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, with a Ukrainian gas company.
