Donald Trump met Russian ambassador to the US last April during the height of the presidential election, according to media reports, despite repeated denials of any meeting with Kremlin officials prior to his election.
News reports published at the time that have now resurfaced says Mr Trump briefly met Sergey Kislyak in Washington around six months before polling day.
According to the Independent, the reports state that the two men met while Mr Trump was at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington on April 27 last year. Mr Kislyak was said to have been seated in one of the front rows for the then-Republic candidate’s speech.
During his speech Mr Trump had called for better relations with Moscow: “I believe an easing of tensions and improved relations with Russia, from a position of strength, is possible.”
Meanwhile, the White House is trying to downplay the meeting between the two. “If they met, it was in passing at arrival reception,” a senior White House official said.
