WASHINGTON • United States Attorney-General Jeff Sessions - formerly a senator who advised President Donald Trump's election campaign on foreign policy and other issues - met Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in July and September last year, just as accusations of Russian interference in the election were mounting.

Mr Sessions, however, said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan 10 that he did not know of contact between Trump campaign members and Russia.

At that hearing, Mr Sessions was asked what he would do in the event that it turned out to be true that anyone affiliated with the Trump team had communicated with the Russian government in the course of the campaign.

He said he was "not aware of any of those activities".

"I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn't have - did not have - communications with the Russians, and I'm unable to comment on it," Mr Sessions said at the time, under oath.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NYTIMES