Trump 'looking forward' to being interviewed in Russian inquiry

US President Donald Trump has said he is “looking forward” to being interviewed for an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.

Trump said he would be willing to speak to the special counsel's office under oath.

He said he expected to be questioned by justice department special counsel Robert Mueller within two to three weeks, with approval from his lawyers.

"I would love to do that as soon as possible," said Trump.

The president had previously said he thought it "unlikely" he would be interviewed by Mueller.

He has called the Russia investigation a "witch hunt" and a "hoax".

Trump’s statement would end months of speculation about whether the special counsel would interview the president, though he also said he would testify under oath last year. The president’s attorneys have met with their counterparts in the special counsel’s office.

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump maintained he was "absolutely" prepared to be questioned under oath by the top investigator.

"There's been no collusion whatsoever, there's no obstruction whatsoever," he said.

Mueller’s team is tasked with investigating Russian meddling in the election, including hacks of Democratic party emails and contacts between members of Trump’s campaign and Russians.

The special counsel’s office has charged Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort with money laundering and conspiracy, and his former national security adviser Michael Flynn and one of his former foreign policy advisers, George Papadopoulos, have each pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about their contacts with Russians.

The special counsel’s office is also investigating potential obstruction of justice, and has questioned the attorney general, Jeff Sessions, in part to discuss the president’s decision to fire James Comey as FBI director.

The US intelligence community has already concluded that Moscow tried to sway the presidential election in favour of Trump, though Russia denies that.

Trump told reporters that his former rival Hillary Clinton was not prepared to be interviewed under oath by the FBI about her use of a private email server.

The Republican president also said he did not recall asking an acting FBI director about his voting record.

"I don't think I did," he said. "I don't know what's the big deal with that."

Andrew McCabe, who took over the FBI after the president fired its previous director, James Comey, last May, said he found Trump's Oval Office question "disturbing".