When US President Donald Trump received Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Oval Office in a matter of hours after being fired by the FBI director, he did so at the request of Vladimir Putin.

About this on the pages Politico wrote a columnist Susan Glasser, who adds that sources in the White House confirmed to her that the Russian president asked Trump about such a meeting during the last telephone conversation.

In turn, the administration of Barack Obama for years denied Lavrov an audience in the office of the President of the United States.

"Russians begged us about this for years. They constantly sought such a meeting, and we constantly said - no, "said unnamed American officials.

Photo of Trump with Lavrov next to the White House statement following the meeting that the US president "stressed his desire to build improved relations between the US and Russia" appeared at a very alarming moment for Trump when Republicans and Democrats criticized him for firing James FBI director Komi. Before the meeting in the Oval Office, Lavrov even laughed at the decision of the American president, saying with a laugh that he had not heard anything about the dismissal of the Komi. This joke he let go, standing next to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. According to the observer, Lavrov has long dreamed of a moment when, during an official reception with the US president, he will laugh at America.

The Russian Foreign Minister since 2004 has been working with Vladimir Putin to return the so-called "greatness" of Russia, preferably at the expense of America's interests. Therefore, for Moscow, this scene was not just part of a performance in Washington, in which Russian officials played the role of extras.

"It was rehabilitation, proof that their loyalty to Trump over the past years of tension with previous US presidents could still pay off," reads the article.

In turn, former US ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow noted: "For Lavrov, the very fact of this meeting and protocol shooting, regardless of whether there will be any agreements, clearly demonstrates to the world and the Russians that Russia has returned, and attempts to isolate it - Failed ".

Meanwhile, in the Kremlin, the meeting between Lavrov and Trump is assessed with "restrained optimism".

According to Dmitry Peskov, the meeting itself is a positive moment, but the countries still have a lot to work on their relations.

As reported, on May 10, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met in Washington with US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. According to Lavrov, he discussed with Trump the Ukrainian and Syrian issues, not touching the issue of sanctions against the Russian Federation. Trump, in turn, Trump called the meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister "very, very good".