Indicted Russian lawyer who met with Don Jr at Trump Tower refusing return to US to avoid trial

The Russian lawyer at the center of the infamous Trump Tower meeting will not be returning to the United States to stand trial.

Attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya told Yahoo News in a telephone interview that she would remain in Russia.

The Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney's office has indicted Veselnitskaya for misleading investigators.

Veselnitskaya attended the June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump, Jr. and his brother-in-law Jared Kushner. Also present was then-campaign chair Paul Manafort, who was subsequently convicted by federal prosecutors on unrelated charges.

She told Yahoo News she would use "all methods" to defend herself -- without leaving Russia.

Veselnitskaya also said the Trump Tower meeting had “no political significance” and that special counsel Robert Mueller has not yet interviewed her.