Russia's government hopes the departure of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Rex Wayne TillersonGary Cohn: 'I haven't made up my mind' on vote for president in November Kushner says 'Alice in Wonderland' describes Trump presidency: Woodward book Conspicuous by their absence from the Republican Convention MORE will lead to more "constructive" dialogue between its diplomats and the U.S., according to a statement from the Kremlin.

Reuters reported Wednesday that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said ties between the two countries likely couldn't get any worse and that Russian officials were hopeful that Tillerson's replacement would lead to a reset in relations.

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“In any case, there’s hope for constructive and sober relations,” Peskov told reporters.

President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE fired Tillerson on Tuesday and named CIA Director Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoUS reimposes UN sanctions on Iran amid increasing tensions Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Trump steps up Iran fight in final election stretch MORE as his successor to lead the State Department. The president told reporters he made the decision "by myself," signaling that he did not speak with Tillerson beforehand.

“I actually got along great with Rex, but really, it was a different mindset,” Trump said of the move on Tuesday.

A White House official told The Hill that on Friday Tillerson was informed he had been let go in a brief phone call with White House chief of staff John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE.

A Tuesday morning statement from a top Tillerson aide, who was later fired, confirmed that Tillerson had not spoken to Trump and was "unaware" of the reason behind his removal.

"The Secretary had every intention of remaining because of the tangible progress made on critical national security issues," said Steve Goldstein, then-under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs.

"The Secretary did not speak to the President this morning and is unaware of the reason, but he is grateful for the opportunity to serve, and still believes strongly that public service is a noble calling and not to be regretted."

Earlier this year, special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE indicted 13 Russian nationals on charges related to interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and accused them of stealing the identities of U.S. citizens to spread false or divisive information online in key swing states.

Last year, Congress passed a sanctions package targeting the country in retaliation for election meddling, though the Trump administration declined to implement the sanctions, saying that the mere passage of the bill served as a deterrent.