A Russian bank under US economic sanctions has disclosed its executives met with President Donald Trump's son-in-law during the 2016 election campaign.
Jared Kushner, a top White House adviser and married to Mr Trump's daughter Ivanka, has agreed to testify to a Senate committee investigating whether Russia tried to interfere in the election.
Executives of Russian state development bank Vnesheconombank had talks with Mr Kushner during a bank roadshow in 2016 when it was preparing a new strategy, the bank said.
"As part of the preparation of the new strategy, executives of Vnesheconombank met with representatives of leading financial institutes in Europe, Asia and America multiple times during 2016," the banks said in an emailed statement.
It said roadshow meetings took place "with a number of representatives of the largest banks and business establishments of the United States, including Jared Kushner, the head of Kushner Companies".
There was no immediate comment from Mr Kushner.
Allegations by US intelligence agencies that Russian actors were behind hacking of senior Democratic Party operatives and spreading disinformation linger over Mr Trump's young presidency.
Democrats claim the Russians wanted to tilt the election toward the Republican, a claim dismissed by Mr Trump.
Russia denies the allegations.
But there has been no doubt that the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergei Kislyak, developed contacts among the Trump team.
Mr Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was forced to resign in February after revelations that he had discussed US sanctions on Russia with Mr Kislyak and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the conversations.
On Monday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters Mr Kushner is willing to testify to the Senate Intelligence Committee chaired by US Senator Richard Burr.
The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate panel also said Mr Kushner had agreed to be interviewed.
Simply meeting with representatives of a US-sanctioned entity is not a violation of sanctions or against the law.
In an article posted on December 18, Forbes estimated that Mr Kushner, his brother Josh and his parents, Charles and Seryl, have a fortune worth at least US$1.8 billion (NZ$2.5b).
Reuters
