Trump Meeting Face-to-Face with Russia's Top Diplomat, Right After Comey Fired

President Donald Trump meets with Russia's top diplomat at the White House Wednesday. It is the highest level in-person interaction with Russia since Trump became president.

It also comes a day after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey who was in the process of investigating Russia's alleged meddling in the U.S. election.

Trump's meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would signal that relations between the United States and Russia have improved – ties Trump referred to recently as at an "all-time low."

The president's meeting takes place after the Russian diplomat meets with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Tillerson met with the prime minister of Montenegro Monday at the State Department and was asked if Lavrov's visit was "a sign of relations improving."  

"We shall see," Tillerson responded.

The most pressing foreign policy issue on the agenda is a Russian proposal to stabilize Syria, a country torn apart by six years of civil war.

The U.S.-Russia talks will happen in the midst of FBI and congressional investigations into possible collusion between Russia and Trump campaign associates involving last year's presidential election.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the president has no ties to Russia. 

"He has no business in Russia. He has no connections to Russia," he said.

Trump has also said he is not aware of his aides being involved in any election meddling by the Russians. He said the different investigations are a "hoax" fueled by Democrats who are upset that their candidate lost in last year's presidential contest.