Kissinger makes a surprise appearance in the Oval Office

After being summoned to the Oval Office for what was expected to be a photo-op with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, members of the White House press corps were surprised to see former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was sitting with the president instead of Lavrov. Kissinger's visit to the White House fell one day after President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey for, "not doing a good job," amid an ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

"It's an honor to have Henry Kissinger with us." Mr. Trump said. "We're right now talking about Russia and various other matters."

Last December "Face the Nation," moderator John Dickerson sat down with the former Secretary of State and asked him about Russian hacking during the election.

"I don't doubt that the Russians are hacking us." Kissinger said and added, "And I hope we're doing some hacking there."

In the aftermath of Comey's termination at the FBI both President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have distanced Russia and the bureau's investigation into Russian meddling in the election from Comey's departure.  When asked during the photo- opt if the termination had any affect with Wednesday's meeting with Lavrov, Mr. Trump responded, "not at all."

CBS News Correspondent Elizabeth Palmer asked Putin how the firing would affect U.S. Russian relations and he told her, "There will be no effect."

Dickerson asked Kissinger what he made of the Russian President during last year's interview to which he called him a, "cold calculator of the Russian national interests as he conceives it."