Jared Kushner to be interviewed about Russia ties by Senate Intelligence Committee

President Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner will be interviewed by the Senate Intelligence Committee as part of its investigation into links between Trump associates and Russia.

Earlier today (27 March), the New York Times reported that Richard Burr's committee wish to question Kushner in connection with meetings he arranged with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador in December 2016.

CNN reported that Kushner had volunteered himself to meet with the panel in relation to their probe of Russian meddling in the US election including actions aimed at destabilising the Hillary Clinton campaign.

The White House told CNN: "Throughout the campaign and transition, Jared Kushner served as the official primary point of contact with foreign governments and officials. Given this role, he has volunteered to speak with Chairman Burr's Committee, but has not yet received confirmation."

The White House has acknowledged a December 2016 meeting between Kushner and Kislyak, which was also attended by Michael Flynn.

They have also confirmed that Kislyak requested a second meeting with Kushner later that month but Kushner asked a deputy to attend. Finally, they admit that Kushner met with Sergey Gorkov, the chief of Vnesheconombank, a Russian government owned development bank placed on US sanctions lists.

A White House spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, says nothing of consequence was discussed at these meetings. It is not uncommon for presidential transitional teams to meet with foreign officials.

Chairman Burr and Mark Warner, the committee's vice chairman, said: "Mr. Kushner has volunteered to be interviewed as part of the committee's investigation into the Russian activities surrounding the 2016 election."

Last week FBI director James Comey told an open session of the House Intelligence Committee (distinct from the Senate committee) that the Bureau were investigating links between Trump's presidential campaign and the Russian state.

Comey also said that not aware of any information corroborating Trump's claims – made on Twitter – that former president Barack Obama sanctioned wiretaps against him.

Within days, committee chair Devin Nunes has reignited the issue by claiming that Trump's communications could have been picked up incidentally by US spies. Nunes then infuriated Democrats when he cancelled an open hearing of the committee on Friday 24 March and replaced it with a behind-doors briefing.

There are currently at least five separate ongoing investigations at various levels of the American government into Russia's efforts to influence the US election, including probes at the FBI, CIA, NSA, Department of Justice, and in the Senate and House.