Kremlin releases photo of Trump meeting with top Russian diplomat

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a photo Wednesday of President Trump shaking hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in the Oval Office.

The meeting was closed to the press.

#Lavrov – @realDonaldTrump meeting has just started | В Овальном кабинете началась встреча С.Лаврова с Д.Трампом#RussiaUSA #РоссияСША pic.twitter.com/7raFrkWhiC

— MFA Russia (@mfa_russia) May 10, 2017

The Russian Embassy in the United States later released a separate photo of President Trump greeting Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Kislyak is the diplomat at the center of the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s potential Russian ties.

Ambassador Kislyak and President Trump / Посол С.Кисляк и Президент Д.Трамп pic.twitter.com/Ckkx2YL9KX

— Russia in USA (@RusEmbUSA) May 10, 2017

{mosads}Lavrov also met earlier with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and the two appeared briefly before cameras for a 60-second photo-op.

The meeting comes one day after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, who was leading an investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election and potential ties between Trump campaign team members and Russian officials.

Asked if the firing of Comey “cast a shadow” over talks with the Trump administration, Lavrov made a sarcastic joke.

“Was he fired?” Lavrov said. “You are kidding, you are kidding.”

At last, they meet. pic.twitter.com/Xu6zOkeT3w

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) May 10, 2017