Donald Trump privately urged the Ukrainian president to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, according to an explosive transcript of a phone call released on Wednesday.

The US president suggested that Volodymyr Zelensky “look into” Mr Biden and his son Hunter Biden, who once worked for a Ukrainian gas company.

Mr Zelensky, who became Ukraine’s leader in May, appeared open to the request, responding that a new prosecutor general who would be “100% my person” was going to be appointed.

During the call Mr Trump also suggested that Rudy Giuliani, his personal lawyer, and William Barr, the US attorney general, would get in touch to discuss any inquiries.

The comments appear to confirm that Mr Trump tried to get a foreign leader to investigate Mr Biden, the front-runner to win the Democratic presidential nomination for the 2020 election.