U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun said on Wednesday a year-end deadline North Korea has set for Washington to show more flexibility in nuclear talks was an artificial one, but could mean a return to "provocative" steps that preceded the past two years of diplomacy.

The White House seized on one portion of the testimony from U.S. envoy Gordon Sondland during a House of Representatives' impeachment hearing on Wednesday and said it "completely exonerates" President Donald Trump.