Putin spokesman: No Kremlin order for Kushner-Gorkov talks

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says a meeting between Donald Trump's son-in- law and the chairman of a Russian bank did not occur on Kremlin orders.

The meeting in December between Jared Kushner, who is a senior adviser to the US president, and Vneshekonombank head Sergei Gorkov, was included in a statement yesterday by Kushner to Congress as part of the probe into Trump's possible connections with Russia.

Kushner said he had been asked to meet with Gorkov by Sergei Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador.

Vneshekonombank is a state-owned development bank.

"These contacts do not require any authorization from the Kremlin and they were not carried out on behalf of the Kremlin," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters today.