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Nigel Farage terminated an interview with a German newspaper after being forced to deny links with Russia.

And the ex-Ukip leader refused to explain why he visited Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in March.

At first he said he’d made the trip to the Wikileaks founder’s diplomatic hideaway for “journalistic” reasons - and later refused to discuss the meeting because it was “personal.”

Farage put a stop to the astonishing interview with German paper Zeit, translated to English for the first time today, after the journalist refused to stick to the subject of the UK economy.

He denied having received funding for his Brexit campaign from Russian sources, insisting donations came from UK individuals.

He said: “No Russian money at all. That’s ridiculous. What you are talking about is conspiracy. I never received a penny from Russia. I wouldn’t have taken it, even if it had been offered. The campaign wasn’t about money. It was about messages, good clear messages.”

He admitted he had been paid from Moscow’s state TV station Russia Today “which I do twice a year. Or three times last year. I am doing global media. I am talking to you as well.”

Asked about the purpose of his meeting with Julian Assange, the paper reports Farage “stopped for a moment to think.”

(Image: AFP)

When he left the Embassy following his meeting, he told reporters he “couldn’t remember” why he had been there.

But he told Zeit he made the visit for “journalistic reasons” - refusing to elaborate any further.

He said: “It has nothing to do with you. It was a private meeting.”

He went on to profess admiration for Vladimir Putin as a political operator, though not for some of his actions.

(Image: AFP)

The reporter raised a meeting Farage had with the Russian Deputy foreign affairs minister Alexander Yakovenko in May 2013 - which Farage initially denied.

But pressed on the meeting, he said: “So what?”

He heavily denied he or any of his campaigns had any links to Russia, branding the reporter a “nutcase” and saying he should have a comedy show rather than reporting for a newspaper.

Farage’s press spokesman interrupted the interview on three occasions before finally advising his boss to cut it short. At the fourth intervention, the journalist was asked to leave Farage’s office.