Steele wrote in his dossier that a Russian source close to Sechin said in July 2016 that Sechin and Page had held a “secret meeting” to discuss “the issues of future bilateral energy cooperation and prospects for an associated move to lift Ukraine-related western sanctions against Russia.”

The dossier alleged that Sechin offered Page the brokerage of a 19% stake in the company in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions on Russia.

Page told Schiff that the sanctions issue was “outside the scope” of Baranov’s responsibilities, and said he couldn’t recall when asked whether he had spoken to Baranov again after returning to the US. Page also said he met with an investor relations official at Gazprom while in Moscow in both July and December.