Democrats have unveiled two impeachment charges against US President Donald Trump.
The American leader is accused of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the US House Judiciary Committee, said: "Our president holds the ultimate public trust - when he betrays that trust, and puts himself before country, he endangers the constitution, he endangers our democracy and he endangers our national security".
Mr Nadler said Mr Trump "sees himself as above the law" and the president was being charged with "high crimes and misdemeanours".
"Our next election is at risk... that is why we must act now."
From left: US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff announce they are pushing ahead with formal impeachment charges against President Donald Trump at the Capitol in Washington DC | Image: J Scott Applewhite/AP/Press Association ImagesMr Nadler said his committee would take up the articles later this week, the next step in a process that could ultimately lead to Mr Trump being removed from office.
"No one, not even the president is above the law", he added.
The charges stem from the US president's pressure on Ukraine to announce investigations of his political rivals as he withheld aid to the country.
President Trump abused the power of his office, undermined our national security and jeopardized the next election.
He has shown no remorse and is at it still, trying even now to get foreign help in his re-election.
No one is above the law.
Donald J. Trump must be impeached. pic.twitter.com/TJv6hKVL3j
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 10, 2019
Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff said: "The president's misconduct is as simple and as terrible as this: President Trump solicited a foreign nation, Ukraine, to publicly announce investigations into his opponent and a baseless conspiracy theory promoted by Russia to help his re-election campaign.
"President Trump abused the power of his office by conditioning two official acts to get Ukraine to help his re-election: the release of hundreds of millions of dollars of military aid that nation desperately needed, and a White House meeting with an ally trying to fend off Russian aggression".
He tweeted: "President Trump abused the power of his office, undermined our national security and jeopardized the next election.
"He has shown no remorse and is at it still, trying even now to get foreign help in his re-election.
"No one is above the law. Donald J Trump must be impeached."
Mr Trump is only the fourth US president in history to face impeachment.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is expected to vote on the charges, or articles of impeachment, next week.
It is almost certain to vote to impeach the Republican president, setting the stage for a dramatic trial in the Republican-controlled Senate, likely to begin in January.
Mr Trump refused to take part in impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives, but the White House said on Tuesday that he would address the two "baseless" charges during the US Senate trial phase of the proceedings.
"The president will address these false charges in the Senate and expects to be fully exonerated, because he did nothing wrong," White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.
After the charges were announced on Tuesday, Mr Trump tweeted "WITCH HUNT!" and said it was "ridiculous" and "not true" to say he pressured Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election.
WITCH HUNT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2019
