How Gordon Sondland's testimony unfolded

It's been a long day. Here are the key moments from Sondland's testimony.

1. "We did not want to work with Mr Giuliani" - the ambassador to the EU confirms he and other Ukraine officials worked closely with the president's personal lawyer at Trump's behest.
2. Pompeo knew - Sondland told lawmakers the state department was aware of his activities, and "that included communications with Secretary of State Pompeo".
3. Another July phone call to know about - Sondland confirmed he spoke with Trump on 26 July and discussed "investigations"
4. "Two plus two equals four" - Sondland said he believed military aid was held up to pressure Ukraine but never heard Trump say as much - "the aid was my own personal, you know, guess, based on [the] analogy two plus two equals four".
5. "He had to announce the investigations" - Sondland said he understood Trump wanted Zelensky to announce the investigations but "didn't have to do them".

Read the full story - and our North America reporter's analysis of these takeaways - here.

After almost seven hours of testimony, the chances of Sondland making his flight seem slim.

BBC Correspondent Nick Bryant takes us out of the hearing room to point out that Trump is still popular in other parts of the country.

A poll in Wisconsin found him beating the Democratic frontrunners.

And as our North America Reporter Anthony Zurcher points out, Wisconsin is "perhaps the key swing state" for 2020.

Meanwhile in Moscow, President Vladimir Putin says the impeachment drama has thankfully taken the focus away from Russia.

"Thank God," he said at an economic event on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press news agency.

"No-one is accusing us of interfering in the US elections anymore; now they’re accusing Ukraine."

KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty ImagesCopyright: KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images

A spokesman for the Department of State has denied Ambassador Sondland's contention that he told Secretary of State Mike Pompeo about the alleged quid pro quo at the heart of these impeachment hearings.

"Gordon Sondland never told Secretary Pompeo that he believed the President was linking aid to investigations of political opponents. Any suggestions to the contrary is flat out false."

Democratic Congressman Krishnamoorthi asks Sondland about Trump's comments today, in which he said he didn't know Sondland very well.

"Easy come, easy go," says the hotelier-turned-diplomat. Some are speculating that Sondland will soon by fired from his role as US Ambassador to the EU.

Republican Devin Nunes says Sondland is now all alone, and that the other "Three Amigos" who oversaw an unofficial US policy in Ukraine - Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Ukraine envoy Kurt Volker - have abandoned him.

"I lost my amigos?" Sondland asks, with a smile.

Jacquelyn Martin - Pool/Getty ImagesCopyright: Jacquelyn Martin - Pool/Getty Images

In a heated exchange, Congressman Sean Maloney asks Sondland to spell out who would benefit from a Ukrainian investigation into the Bidens.

"I assume President Trump would benefit," Sondland says reluctantly, after much prodding from the New York Democrat.

"Mr Maloney," Sondland adds. "I've been very forthright, and I really resent what you're trying to do."

Maloney snaps back: "You've been very forthright? This is your third try to do so, sir. Didn't work the first time, did it?"

These hearings are how the House of Representatives gathers evidence to then draw up articles of impeachment.

The House will then vote on whether Trump should be tried in the Senate.

Watch below for more on what it takes to impeach a president.

Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, is a central figure in the impeachment inquiry. So what was he up to in Ukraine?

Take a break from the hearing and enjoy Twitter poking fun at it all.

Mitchell Layton/Getty ImagesCopyright: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Sondland has described President Trump's insistence that Ukraine investigate corruption claims - including those against former Vice-President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

So what do we know about the charges against the Bidens?

Eric Trump has glimpsed a marketing opportunity in the impeachment hearings beleaguering his dad.

Tasting notes: Natural acidity present, with a dry finish...

California Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell asks if it's correct that Sondland donated $1m to Trump's inauguration.

"I bought a VVIP ticket to the inauguration," he responds.

"That's a lot of money?" asks the congressman.

"That's a lot of money," Sondland agrees.

Here's another name that's been coming up during Sondland's testimony: Kurt Volker.

Volker is the former special representative to Ukraine - and one of the key players in the alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine by withholding military aid. He testified publicly yesterday.

Volker told lawmakers on Tuesday that President Trump "had a deeply rooted negative view on Ukraine rooted in the past" and despite "positive news and recommendations" being conveyed about Ukraine's new president, "he was clearly receiving other information from other sources, including Mayor Giuliani, that was more negative, causing him to retain this negative view".

He added that allegations against former US Vice-President Joe Biden and his son - which Mr Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate - were "self-serving and not credible".

BBC Americas Bureau Editor Paul Danahar, who attended the hearing, pointed out that Volker was trying to distance himself from Trump's requests about the Bidens - and it seems that Sondland is now doing the same.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Several US officials have testified that Rudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer, led a shadow foreign policy in Ukraine.

Today Giuliani tried to put some distance between himself and Sondland, saying it was really Kurt Volker, the US special representative to Ukraine, he had meetings with.

JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesCopyright: JACQUELYN MARTIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

A rare taste of humour in the midst of Sondland's testimony: the room erupted with laughter and applause as Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier said "the president of the United States has five Pinocchios on a daily basis, so let's not go there."

This refers to the Washington Post's fact-checking method, which awards "Pinocchios" to what it says are lies.

2020 Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders has not-so-subtly offered his thoughts on where the impeachment inquiry may be headed.

(A reminder: being impeached doesn't mean getting kicked out of the White House, but it does set the stage for a Senate trial which could then lead to the president's removal.)

This impeachment inquiry has overspilled into an unrelated hearing before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee elsewhere on Capitol Hill.

Senator Tim Kaine just asked Deputy Defence Secretary David Norquist whether there would be retaliation against Lt Col Alexander Vindman for testifying against Trump yesterday to the impeachment inquiry.

"In your role as deputy secretary of defence, will you make sure that members of the military are not punished or face reprisals for co-operating with Congress?" Kaine said, CQ Roll Call reported.

Norquist responded: "We expect people to be responsive and truthful in their dealings with Congress."

He did not offer further details about safety protection that the Army has arranged for Vindman and his family.

Sondland says he's held about 20 conversations with Trump.

Today Trump called him "not a man I know well".

"Seems like a nice guy though," he added.

Sondland said he had a good relationship with Trump, but the two were not "friends".