Some of President Donald Trump's key allies are urging him to compromise with the special counsel in the Russia probe, according to a new report.

The president's legal team and close advisors are exploring ways to avoid an in-person interview with Robert Mueller without stonewalling the investigation outright, Politico reported Wednesday.

The development comes after recent news that Trump's lawyers have cautioned him against taking wide-ranging questions from Mueller's team, which is investigating potential ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. The special counsel has reportedly intensified its focus on possible obstruction of justice, and has begun interviewing members of Trump's inner circle.

Rather than risk the president — who has a history of contradicting himself — providing self-incriminating testimony in a live interview setting, Trump's lawyers are considering a partial, written exchange with the special counsel, a source familiar with the White House's strategy told Politico.