Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denied that his US counterpart tried to blackmail him into investigating Joe Biden during a phone call in July.
Zelenskiy told reporters that his aim was to arrange a subsequent meeting and that he had asked the White House to change its rhetoric on Ukraine.
"There was no blackmail. This was not the subject of our conversation," he emphasised.
He also claimed that he hadn't known that the US military aid to Ukraine had been blocked at the time of the call.
A rough White House transcript showed that Donald Trump had asked Zelensky to investigate Biden, sparking an impeachment inquiry into the US President.

Shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach kills 12
Police hold person of interest after Brown University shooting leaves two dead
Hamas says Israel's killing of senior commander threatens ceasefire
Ukraine's Zelenskyy ditches NATO ambition ahead of peace talks
Thailand declares curfew along coast as Cambodia border fighting spreads
India tightens pollution curbs as Delhi's air quality worsens
'Peace is not far away' says Erdogan after Putin meeting
Belarus frees Nobel winner, protest figures as US lifts more sanctions
