Trump Hosts Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov And Ambassador Kislyak At White House 
 
 Enlarge this image toggle caption Alexander Shcherbak/TASS/Getty Images Alexander Shcherbak/TASS/Getty Images 
 
 President Trump hosted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the White House on Wednesday, one day after firing the man whose agency is investigating Russia's meddling in the 2016 election that brought Trump to power. 
 
 Trump fired now-former FBI Director James Comey, who told Congress earlier this year that his agency has been investigating Russia's actions — and possible ties to anyone associated with the Trump campaign — since July. As NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports, the firing of Comey with more than six years left on his term in office has prompted a flurry of questions about the president's motives — and about what's next. 
 
 Lavrov's meeting with the president was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. ET, and it was declared closed to the press. Russian agencies tweeted photos from the Oval Office showing that in addition to Lavrov, Trump shook hands with Russia's ambassador to America, Sergey Kislyak — a key figure in the investigation into Trump's ousted national security adviser, Michael Flynn. 
 
 After the Lavrov session had concluded, members of the U.S. media were allowed into the Oval Office, where they found the president sitting with Henry Kissinger, who served as President Richard Nixon's secretary of state. The meeting hadn't been listed on the president's official schedule. 
 
 Trump said he and Kissinger had met to talk "about Russia and various other matters," according to the pool report. 
 
 To a question about Comey, Trump reportedly replied, "He wasn't doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job." 
 
 The president also said the issue had not affected his meeting with Lavrov. 
 
 Lavrov arrived in Washington on Tuesday. He met with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the White House early Wednesday, ahead of his visit to the Oval Office. 
 
 Tillerson and Lavrov made a brief appearance Wednesday morning for a photo-op, and as Tillerson began to lead his guest back behind closed doors, Lavrov responded to a question about Comey's firing. 
 
 When a reporter asked whether the dismissal has "cast a shadow" over their talks, Lavrov stopped and seemed to look genuinely quizzical when he responded, "Was he fired?" — but then adopted a deadpan tone as he told the reporter, "You are kidding, you are kidding." 
 
 With a theatrical twitch of his head, the Russian diplomat then followed his American counterpart away from the media. The exchange was not included in the State Department's brief video snippet from the photo-op that it posted to Twitter. 
 
 Tillerson's office said his talks with Lavrov would focus on "Ukraine, Syria, and bilateral issues." But the Russians' visit to the White House also came as the Kremlin made its first public comments on Comey's removal. 
 
 When Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked how the firing might affect U.S.-Russia relations, Peskov replied, "We hope that it will not affect them at all. That's the United States' internal affair. That's the U.S. president's independent decision, which has nothing to do and should have nothing to do with Russia." 
 
 Comey's dismissal has sparked new calls for an independent probe into Russia's attempts to influence last year's U.S. presidential election — despite the Trump administration's assertion that Comey was removed over his handling of the investigation into Clinton's private email server. 
 
 "This is nothing less than Nixonian," said Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., a longtime member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. 
 
 Announcing Comey's abrupt firing Tuesday afternoon, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the president "acted based on the clear recommendations of both Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions." ||||| CLOSE When reporters asked Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about the firing of FBI Director James Comey, Lavrov asked them a question back. USA TODAY 
 
 President Trump is pictured walking on the South Lawn of the White House. (Photo: Ron Sachs, Getty Images) 
 
 President Trump met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the White House on Wednesday, just one day after firing James Comey, the FBI director overseeing an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. 
 
 Trump and Lavrov discussed paths to resolving the Syrian civil war, the Russian incursion into Ukraine, and the Middle East conflict, according to a statement from the White House. They also discussed ways to improve relations between the two countries, the statement added. "The President further emphasized his desire to build a better relationship between the United States and Russia." 
 
 In brief comments to reporters, Trump said the Comey case had no effect "at all" on his meeting Lavrov, and he defended the firing of the FBI director because "he wasn't doing a good job." 
 
 The FBI, along with several congressional committees, are focusing on whether there was any collusion between Trump campaign associates to Russia during the last year's election. 
 
 The U.S. intelligence community has accused Moscow of carrying out a campaign of cyberattacks against Democratic political institutions to influence the American election, and leaking stolen material to be published on websites such as WikiLeaks. Trump has denied any connections and described the Russia story as a "hoax." 
 
 The timing for the meeting drew special attention since Lavrov, who last visited Washington in 2013, is the highest-level Russian official to meet with Trump since he took office in January. 
 
 The White House meeting also featured a key figure in the investigation: Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States. Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was fired after misleading his colleagues about his conversations with Kislyak before the inauguration. 
 
 Meanwhile, in Russia, President Vladimir Putin told CBS News that the Comey firing would have "no effect" on U.S.-Russian relations. "We have nothing to do with that," Putin said. 
 
 WATCH: Russia President Vladimir Putin responds to Comey firing: "We have nothing to do with that." https://t.co/fvTW6W3DnFpic.twitter.com/riP7EFr3xR — CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) May 10, 2017 
 
 Lavrov also met earlier Wednesday with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the State Department. 
 
 As he welcomed Lavrov in the Treaty Room, Tillerson said he looks forward to continuing a dialogue the two began in Moscow “on a very broad range of topics.” 
 
 Before reporters assembled there, Lavrov appeared to make a joke about Comey's firing. 
 
 When a reporter asked if the sudden firing Tuesday “cast a shadow over your talks,” Lavrov responded with a deadpan joke. 
 
 “Was he fired?” He asked. When the reporter answered in the affirmative, Lavrov quipped: “You are kidding. You are kidding.” 
 
 He then waived his hand with a dismissive nod of his head, and walked away with a smiling Tillerson. 
 
 Tillerson met with Putin at the Kremlin last month amid tensions over a U.S. airstrike against a Syria air base blamed for a chemical attack by the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a Russian ally. The attack killed scores of civilians. 
 
 Trump said following that meeting that relations between the U.S. and Russia "may be at an all-time low.” 
 
 "The world's two foremost nuclear owners cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson said at the time. 
 
 CLOSE The White House reports Comey's dismissal comes after he was found in the middle of several political controversies like Russia's possible election interference and Hillary Clinton's handling of classified e-mails. USA TODAY 
 
 Wednesday's meetings could signal progress between the two nations since then. 
 
 On Wednesday, Tillerson and Lavrov will discuss Ukraine, Syria, and "bilateral issues," the State Department said. 
 
 "On Ukraine, the sides will discuss the need to stop the violence in eastern Ukraine and resolve the conflict through the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. On Syria, the Secretary intends to discuss efforts to de-escalate violence, provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people, and set the stage for a political settlement of the conflict," the department said in a statement. 
 
 Contributing: Oren Dorell 
 
 Read more: 
 
 Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2puIjcI ||||| FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2015 file photo, FBI Director James Comey prepares to testify on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump abruptly fired Comey May 9, 2017, dramatically ousting the nation's... (Associated Press) 
 
 WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and FBI Director James Comey's firing (all times local): 
 
 12:25 p.m. 
 
 Three U.S. officials say fired FBI Director James Comey told lawmakers that he asked the Justice Department for more money for the bureau's investigation into Russia's election meddling. 
 
 President Donald Trump fired Comey Tuesday. 
 
 The officials say Comey told lawmakers he had made the request to Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. 
 
 The Justice Department is denying that Comey asked for more resources. 
 
 The White House has wielded a critical memo from Rosenstein to justify President Donald Trump's decision to fire Comey on Tuesday. Rosenstein's memo focused only on Comey's handling of last year's investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices. It does not mention the Russia investigation. 
 
 The officials were not authorized to disclose the meetings publicly and insisted on anonymity. 
 
 -By Julie Pace and Eileen Sullivan 
 
 __ 
 
 12:10 p.m. 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (SEHR'-gay LAHV'-rahf) says it is "humiliating" for the American people to hear that Russia is controlling the political situation in the U.S. 
 
 Lavrov is speaking at the Russian Embassy in Washington after meetings with President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He said Wednesday that politicians raising questions about Russian interference in the election are damaging the U.S. political system by suggesting that it is being controlled externally. 
 
 Lavrov is brushing off the questions as "noise" about Russians' contacts with people in Trump's campaign. He says through a translator that "there is not a single fact" or piece of compelling evidence proving Russia's intervention in the election. 
 
 Lavrov is pointing out that Trump dismisses the controversy as "false news." 
 
 ___ 
 
 11:45 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says ousted FBI Director James Comey "was not doing a good job." It was Trump's first public remarks about his firing Tuesday of the FBI chief. 
 
 Trump briefly spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday after a closed meeting with Russia's foreign minister. His remarks come as the White House is defending the decision to dismiss Comey. Administration officials have said the firing was not related to the investigation into possible contacts between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. 
 
 Trump was joined by Henry Kissinger, former secretary of state and national security adviser under President Richard Nixon. 
 
 __ 
 
 11:20 a.m. 
 
 The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee says there's no need for a special prosecutor to investigate Russia's ties to the Trump campaign in the wake of the firing of the FBI director. 
 
 GOP Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina says his committee has the jurisdiction and responsibility to continue its Russia investigation and "we are going to do that." 
 
 However Burr reiterated questions about President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. "The timing of this and the reasoning for it doesn't make sense to me." 
 
 And, Burr said that the firing "made our task a little more difficult but it didn't make it impossible so we'll continue." 
 
 Burr said he spoke to Trump but wouldn't detail the exchange. He said they didn't discuss his committee's investigation 
 
 __ 
 
 11:12 a.m. 
 
 Vice President Mike Pence is defending the firing of FBI Director James Comey, saying the "president made the right decision at the right time." He said Comey's firing was not related to the investigation into possible contacts between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. 
 
 Pence says the administration is now looking forward to finding someone to lead the law enforcement agency. 
 
 President Donald Trump fired Comey on Tuesday. Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, criticized Comey's handling of the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's email practices. 
 
 Pence says Comey had lost the confidence of the American people. He says Trump took "strong and decisive leadership" to put the safety and security of the American people first. 
 
 __ 
 
 11:05 a.m. 
 
 The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee says President Donald Trump told her that he was firing FBI Director James Comey because "the department is a mess." 
 
 California Sen. Dianne Feinstein said she was surprised and taken aback after Trump called her and other senators to deliver the news shortly before the White House announced Comey's dismissal Tuesday. 
 
 Feinstein says she questions the reasoning and timing behind Trump's decision and asked the GOP-led committee to bring in Justice Department officials to explain it. 
 
 She said what "sticks in her mind" is a classified briefing Comey delivered in March in which he laid out counterintelligence and criminal investigations the FBI is conducting into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. 
 
 She said it's clear "the FBI was taking its job seriously." 
 
 __ 
 
 10:45 a.m. 
 
 The Senate's Russia investigators are asking the Treasury Department's criminal investigation division for any information relevant to President Donald Trump, his top aides and campaign officials. 
 
 Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told CNN that the request is part of the panel's effort to "follow the intel no matter where it leads." Warner's office confirmed the senator's comments. 
 
 The Senate intelligence committee is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and possible ties between Trump associates and the Russian government. 
 
 The House intelligence committee is conducting a parallel investigation. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10:25 a.m. 
 
 Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Russia is not concerned about Comey's firing. 
 
 When asked how Comey's sacking could influence Russia-U.S. ties, Peskov told reporters in Moscow on Wednesday: "This is the U.S. president's sovereign decision which does not have anything to do with Russia and should not have anything to do with Russia." 
 
 Russian state television network Rossiya 24 referred to President Richard Nixon's firing of independent special prosecutor Archibald Cox during the Watergate scandal. It said that "the story with Comey is different." Comey, it said, "played a good cop and fell into a trap he had set for himself." 
 
 Senior Russian lawmaker Alexei Pushkov tweeted that Comey "kept an eye on the 'Russian threat' so hard that he did not notice the threat of his own sacking." 
 
 Another senior lawmaker, Konstantin Kosachev, rejected suggestions that Comey's sacking could have a Russian link. "The 'Russian trail' is hardly there and definitely could not have been the underlying cause for the firing of such a prominent player on the Washington scene," Kosachev told the Interfax news agency. "Because this trail is merely a tool in the domestic political game and Trump's stakes are more than just about the Russia issue." 
 
 __ 
 
 10:20 a.m. 
 
 A Justice Department official says Attorney General Jeff Sessions is interviewing candidates to serve as the interim replacement for fired FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 Comey's deputy, FBI veteran Andrew McCabe, has become acting director after Comey was fired by President Donald Trump. 
 
 But a Justice Department official says senior leaders are interviewing additional candidates who could do the job until a permanent replacement for Comey is named and confirmed by the Senate. 
 
 An announcement about Comey's interim successor could come as soon as Wednesday. 
 
 The official wasn't authorized to discuss the selection process by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. 
 
 ___ 
 
 10 a.m. 
 
 Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is asking that Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy appear before the Senate to answer questions about the circumstances surrounding President Donald Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 The New York Democrat said Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein should discuss why Sessions participated in the decision to fire Comey despite recusing himself and whether Rosenstein acted on his own when recommending Comey's dismissal or whether he was order to do so by the White House. 
 
 Schumer also repeated his call for a special counsel to investigate ties between Trump's campaign and the Russian government. 
 
 He also said the administration should answer why the president didn't wait until the Justice Department's inspector general issued a report on Comey's much-criticized actions regarding the FBI's investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:50 a.m. 
 
 Amid Democratic calls for a special prosecutor, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says a new investigation of Russia meddling could only serve to impede the current probes underway. 
 
 McConnell spoke on the Senate floor as Democratic senators gathered to try to pressure the GOP over President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 McConnell didn't give his own view on Trump's decision to fire Comey. But he noted that Democrats had repeatedly criticized Comey in the past, and had called for his removal. 
 
 Following McConnell on the floor, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for a special prosecutor. 
 
 But McConnell said: "Today we'll no doubt hear calls for a new investigation which could only serve to impede the current work being done." 
 
 The Senate and House intelligence committees are investigating Russian meddling in the presidential election and Russian ties to the Trump campaign. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:40 a.m. 
 
 Sen. Lindsey Graham says he doesn't believe a special prosecutor should be considered unless the FBI's investigation into the Trump campaign's possible connections to Russia becomes a criminal matter. 
 
 It's now a counterintelligence investigation. 
 
 The South Carolina Republican says if it becomes "a criminal investigation where the Trump campaign may be exposed to criminal charges, then that's the time to have that conversation." 
 
 Graham says he's confident the FBI's investigation won't be hampered by President Donald Trump's firing of the bureau's director, James Comey. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:30 a.m. 
 
 Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says Moscow isn't concerned about the firing of the FBI director. 
 
 Dmitry Peskov says Russia hopes that President Donald Trump's decision to fire the FBI's James Comey won't affect U.S.-Russia ties "in any way." 
 
 Peskov calls it "an entirely domestic matter" for the United States. 
 
 ___ 
 
 9:10 a.m. 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is reacting sarcastically to questions about President Donald Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 Lavrov and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were asked during a photo-op whether Comey's firing cast a shadow over the meeting between the two diplomats. 
 
 Lavrov said: "Was he fired? You're kidding. You're kidding." Then the Russian diplomat waved his hand dismissively and exited the room alongside Tillerson. 
 
 The meeting comes amid growing concerns about Trump's decision to fire the head of the law enforcement agency investigating Russian interference in the U.S. election and possible collusion by Trump's campaign. 
 
 Lavrov is scheduled to meet later Wednesday with Trump at the White House. 
 
 __ 
 
 8:50 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump is attacking Sen. Richard Blumenthal for criticizing his firing of FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 The Connecticut Democrat appeared on MSNBC and CNN Wednesday morning. On CNN, Blumenthal said that the firing had prompted a "looming constitutional crisis." 
 
 Trump tweeted Wednesday that he was watching Blumenthal speak, calling it a "joke." He criticized Blumenthal for past statements that he served in Vietnam, saying he "would talk of his great bravery and conquests in Vietnam - except he was never there." 
 
 Trump said that Blumenthal "cried like a baby" when caught and that he should be investigated. 
 
 Trump has previously attacked Blumenthal over statements that he served in Vietnam. Blumenthal was in the Marine Corps Reserves at the time but did not fight in Vietnam. 
 
 __ 
 
 7:40 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says that Republicans and Democrats will soon "be thanking me" for firing FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning that Comey had "lost the confidence of almost everyone in Washington, Republican and Democrat alike." He added: "when things calm down, they will be thanking me!" 
 
 Trump abruptly fired Comey Tuesday night. The surprise decision came amid the law enforcement agency's investigation into whether Trump's presidential campaign was connected to Russian meddling in the election. 
 
 __ 
 
 7:24 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump says fired FBI Director James Comey "will be replaced by someone who will do a far better job, bringing back the spirit and prestige of the FBI." 
 
 In an early-morning tweet Wednesday, Trump attacked Democrats critical of his firing of Comey. 
 
 Trump said that Democrats "have said some of the worst things about James Comey, including the fact that he should be fired, but now they play so sad!" 
 
 Trump abruptly fired Comey in the midst of the law enforcement agency's investigation into whether Trump's presidential campaign was connected to Russian meddling in the election. 
 
 ___ 
 
 4:40 a.m. 
 
 Amid the clamor surrounding the firing of FBI Director James Comey, President Donald Trump singled out one another Washington fixture for his scorn. 
 
 The president went to his Twitter account late Tuesday to chide Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, for comments the Democrat made about the stunning dismissal. 
 
 Trump had telephoned Schumer earlier to inform him of the decision. Schumer said he told Trump that "you are making a big mistake." Schumer also questioned why the firing occurred on Tuesday and wondered whether investigations into the Trump campaign's possible ties to Russia were "getting too close for the president." He said unless a special prosecutor is named, Americans could rightfully wonder whether the move was "part of a cover-up." 
 
 Trump fired back with a tweet exclaiming: "Cryin' Chuck Schumer stated recently, 'I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.' Then acts so indignant." 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:35 a.m. 
 
 President Donald Trump's stunning firing of FBI Director James Comey throws into question the future of a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign's possible connections to Russia. It immediately raised suspicions of an underhanded effort to stymie a probe that has shadowed the administration from the outset. 
 
 Democrats likened the firing to President Richard Nixon's "Saturday Night Massacre" and renewed calls for the appointment of a special prosecutor, and some Republicans also questioned the move. 
 
 In his letter to Comey, Trump said the firing was necessary to restore "public trust and confidence" in the FBI. The administration paired the letter with a scathing review by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein of how Comey handled the investigation into Democrat Hillary Clinton's email practices, including his decision to hold a news conference announcing its findings and releasing "derogatory information" about Clinton. 
 
 __ 
 
 11:05 p.m. 
 
 FBI Director James Comey was speaking to agents at the FBI's field office in Los Angeles when the news of his firing broke. 
 
 That's according to a law enforcement official who was present at the time Tuesday. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to discuss the situation publicly. 
 
 The official says television screens in the field office began flashing the news, and Comey initially chuckled. But he continued to speak to the agents, finishing his speech before heading into an office. He did not reappear in the main room. 
 
 Comey later left Los Angeles on a plane to return to Washington. 
 
 —By Michael Balsamo in Los Angeles ||||| Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reacts to a reporter's question after posing for photos with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Treaty Room of the State Department on May 10. | Getty Russian foreign minister jokes about Comey: 'Was he fired? You’re kidding' 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sarcastically acted surprised Wednesday when asked a question about the firing of FBI Director James Comey during a visit to Washington. 
 
 “Was he fired? You’re kidding, you’re kidding,” he said during a brief press conference at the State Department before making a face, shaking his head and leaving the room. 
 
 Story Continued Below 
 
 Lavrov was briefly addressing the media with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. The Russian diplomat is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump Wednesday as well. 
 
 Comey, who was investigation the ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, was dramatically fired by Trump Tuesday night. ||||| As scrutiny intensifies around investigations into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign, President Donald Trump emphasized his hope for better relations between the U.S. and the Kremlin in a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday. 
 
 Trump described the meeting to a group of reporters on Wednesday as "very, very good." 
 
 But the critical issue of Russian election interference was not discussed, according to Lavrov. 
 
 In a press conference after the Oval Office meeting, the Russian Foreign Minister said he and Trump "discussed specific issues and we didn’t raise those absurd issues” about election tampering. 
 
 Instead, Lavrov pointed to Trump’s own comments — frequently relayed via Twitter — that the Russia story is "fake news." 
 
 "There is not a single fact, there is no compelling evidence given to anyone regarding Russia’s intervention and that is it," Lavrov said. 
 
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 Russian government social media accounts tweeted out images of Trump with Lavrov, as well as with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak whose attendance, his government said, is considered protocol. U.S. press was not allowed into either meeting nor has the White House released any photos. 
 
 Kislyak’s role is critical in the investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who met with the ambassador during the Trump transition and misled Vice President Mike Pence about the two men’s discussions on Russian sanctions levied by the Obama administration. 
 
 Those sanctions were not discussed Wednesday, Lavrov said in a press conference at the Russian embassy after the meeting. But Lavrov called the Obama administration's expulsion of Russian diplomats from the U.S. in retaliation late last year “pitiful” and a “dirty” trick.” 
 
 Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump are slated to meet in July on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. 
 
 Lavrov's meeting with Trump and Tillerson in Washington comes less than 24 hours after news of the firing of FBI Director James Comey, which ushered in a wave of criticism from Democrats and some Republicans with renewed calls for an independent investigator into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, including alleged collusion between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign. The meeting also comes at a time when U.S.-Russian relations are seen by the administration as "at a low point." 
 
 U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as they meet for talks in the Oval Office at the White House on May 10, 2017. Russian Foreign Ministry 
 
 Lavrov arrived at the White House after the Tillerson meeting and ahead of a press conference at the Russian Embassy. The meeting with Trump, billed on the White House schedule as an Oval Office meeting, was closed to reporters. 
 
 During his meeting with Trump, Lavrov discussed efforts by Russia, Turkey and Iran to set up "de-escalation zones" in opposition-held areas of Syria, a plan enacted on Saturday. Still, stark differences remain on the best way forward in the six-year Syrian war which has left more than 500,000 dead and displaced millions. 
 
 Washington has long said Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad can't remain in power if the war-torn nation is to move forward. Russia supports Assad. 
 
 "We do not have a notion of an exit strategy," Lavrov said during the press conference at the Russian embassy on Wednesday. The "obsession with ousting particular leaders — look what it has led to. Why don't we try to learn from our mistakes, focus on process, defeating terrorism." 
 
 The two governments also still disagree on Assad's role in last month's chemical gas attack, which left dozens of civilians dead and spurred Trump to retaliate by launching 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airbase. 
 
 And as the Trump administration mulls sending as many as 5,000 more troops to Afghanistan to join the fight there, Lavrov stressed that his nation's government is not supporting the Taliban. 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) shakes hands with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after a press conference on April 12, 2017 in Moscow. File Alexander Nemenov / AFP - Getty Images 
 
 "Those who are working on Afghanistan have not found a single expert to say we're transferring arms," Lavrov said. 
 
 Lavrov and Trump also discussed the ongoing violence in Ukraine where, since 2014, the U.S. has found itself on opposite sides of the conflict with Washington backing the Western-leaning Ukrainian government and Moscow backing pro-Russia separatists. 
 
 Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, reacted to the meeting with a warning, urging Trump to be careful and aware of who Lavrov represents. 
 
 "The president's meeting with Lavrov today. It's okay to want to work with the Russians, but I hope, Mr. President, you know who you're dealing with," Graham told CNN. "You're dealing with a man who represents a government that is brutal, that tried to undermine our elections and, be careful, these are not teddy bears you're dealing with." ||||| Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shake hands in the Treaty Room Wednesday. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) 
 
 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appeared to get irritated with reporters at the State Department in Washington on Wednesday, sarcastically remarking on the firing of FBI Director James Comey. 
 
 "Was he fired? You're kidding?" Lavrov told reporters. "You're kidding." 
 
 Appearing with Lavrov, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was more measured, and made no specific comment on Comey. 
 
 He stressed that the purpose of Lavrov's trip to Washington was "to continue our dialogue and our exchange of views that began in Moscow… on a very broad range of topics." 
 
 Lavrov meets with President Donald Trump at the White House later Wednesday.
– US News says he "appeared to get irritated," while Politico and NBC note he was being sarcastic, but if Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov didn't know about President Trump firing FBI Director James Comey before Wednesday morning's presser at the State Department, he does now. Lavrov, who's in town to meet with Trump, appeared with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when MSNBC reporter Andrea Mitchell asked, "Does the Comey firing cast a shadow over the talks, gentlemen?" That sent Tillerson to the door while Lavrov lingered. "Was he fired?" he asked. "You're kidding—you're kidding!" Lavrov made a dismissive gesture with his head and exited the room with Tillerson. Per the State Department, Lavrov's sit-down with Trump on Wednesday was to focus on Syria, the conflict in Ukraine, and "bilateral issues," USA Today reports. NPR notes that even though the Lavrov-Trump meeting was closed to the US press, Russian agencies tweeted pictures of Trump with Lavrov and also with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, who was not mentioned on the original itinerary. When the American media was allowed into the Oval Office, they found Trump sitting with Richard Nixon's secretary of state, Henry Kissinger—also a surprise appearance. Meanwhile, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he didn't think the Comey firing would impact the US-Russia relationship, calling it an "independent decision" by Trump that "has nothing to do and should have nothing to do with Russia," per the TASS news agency.