Carter Page's name has become synonymous with US investigations into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

When we met in a New York hotel, I asked the question that has hovered over him for months: was he Donald Trump's man in Moscow during the 2016 campaign?

He replied: "I was never representing then-candidate Trump and I had no negotiations - particularly anything to do with what was falsely accused in the dodgy dossier."

He was referring to the unverified dossier from former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. It identified Mr Page as the campaign's point of contact with Russia. Mr Page lived in Russia for three years during which time he was an adviser to state-run energy giant Gazprom.

He said: "I'm being branded as this terrible Russia person - which is completely false."


The energy executive met Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak at the Republican National Convention in July last year but he said they did not discuss US sanctions currently imposed on Russia.

"All I said was a brief hello and there may have been general conversations with a lot of people in the room where things may have been discussed - I have no recollection. I was very careful."

During a visit to the Washington Post in March last year, Mr Trump named Mr Page as part of his team. By January this year Mr Trump's team members completely disassociated themselves.

Trump 'terminates' James Comey as FBI head

Despite this, Mr Page remains loyal to Mr Trump and thinks his dismissal of FBI director James Comey was entirely the right move.

There is a view that James Comey was fired because the FBI's Russia investigation was gathering pace.

As someone involved in the investigation, had Mr Page sensed increased intensity?

"My gut feel is that there is a sense of desperation," he said.

"They need to find something, anything to make it seem like there is some credibility to this complete witch hunt - the Russia Trump collusion investigation which is a complete joke."

Mr Page said he "can't wait" to give open testimony - he wants to avoid misinterpretations of contacts he may have had.

"Anything that they can kind of spin in the most damaging way possible - they will blow it out of proportion as we've seen on multiple occasions in the past."

So does he think there could be more to come on him?

"I don't think there's anything to come which is of any substance," he said.

None of the numerous investigations into links with Russia have delivered their findings yet. Until they do - the cloud of suspicion remains firmly in place.