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US Senate to hold final vote on Trump’s impeachment on February 5

The vote will begin at 16:00 local time (00:00 Thursday Moscow time)

US President Donald Trump REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

US President Donald Trump

© REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, February 1. /TASS/. The US Senate scheduled the final vote in the impeachment proceedings against US President Donald Trump for Wednesday, February 5.

On Friday, the upper house of the US parliament voted in favor of a relevant resolution, proposed by Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell.

Earlier in the day, the Senate voted against calling witnesses or admitting new evidence in the impeachment trial. The move paved the way for the crucial vote next week and for Trump’s expected acquittal on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The vote will begin at 16:00 local time (00:00 Thursday Moscow time).

The current row in the United States flared up over Trump’s telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart, Vladimir Zelensky. The Democratic Party-controlled House of Representatives launched an impeachment procedure against the US leader on September 4. The Democrats argue that Trump tried to persuade Zelensky to investigate the activities of former US Vice-President Joseph Biden and his son in Ukraine in exchange for financial and military assistance to Kiev.

The impeachment procedure is led by the Chairman of the US Supreme Court. The House of Representatives actually acts as a party to the prosecution, and senators play the role of a jury. Impeachment requires support from no less than two thirds of senators (at least 67 votes). The Republican party holds 53 seats in the Senate out of 100 and can easily block an attempt to oust Trump.

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