We are now closing the live blog for today, but we'll be back again tomorrow morning to follow all the latest developments. Until then, you can keep up with all our other Ukraine coverage here.
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More on that Giuliani-Parnas story from our news desk:
Associate Of Rudy Giuliani Received $1-Million Payment From Ukraine Oligarch, Says U.S. Prosecutor
U.S. prosecutors said in court on December 17 that Lev Parnas, an associate of U.S. President Donald Trump's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, received a $1-million payment from a lawyer for Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash.
Prosecutors have said that Parnas should have his bail revoked because he concealed the payment from them. Parnas has denied hiding the payment.
The Ukraine-born U.S. citizen, who has been charged with campaign finance violations, was released on bail after his arrest in October and has been under house arrest in Florida.
Prosecutors last week asked a U.S. district judge in New York to revoke Parnas's bail. They said he had concealed information about his finances, including a $1 million payment he had received from an account in Russia in September.
The account was in the name of his wife, Svetlana Parnas.
On December 17, U.S. Attorney Rebekah Donaleski said the payment came from Firtash through his lawyer.
Donaleski added that it was not plausible the payment was a loan to Parnas's wife, as Parnas had said.
Firtash is fighting extradition from Austria to the United States on corruption charges.
Parnas and his indicted business partner, Belarus-born U.S. citizen Igor Fruman, are close associates of Giuliani.
The two business partners have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
They and Giuliani have been involved in back-channel meetings with current and former Ukrainian officials regarding investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden, his son Hunter, and Democratic party activities in the 2016 presidential election.
In the indictment, the pair were also charged with working on behalf of one or more Ukrainian officials in their attempt to remove then-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
One of Ukraine's wealthiest men, Firtash has been fighting against extradition since his 2014 arrest in Vienna.
U.S. authorities have been investigating Firtash, 54, since 2006 on suspicion of bribery and forming an organized crime group.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
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