President Donald Trump may have had yet more undisclosed meetings with Vladimir Putin, the Russian foreign minister has said – but he mocked the US for their obsession with the encounters.

Sergei Lavrov, the wily, wise-cracking veteran politician, laughed when asked by NBC News whether there had been more than the three meetings now known about at the G20 in Germany, earlier this month.

Mr Trump and Mr Putin held a bilateral session in Hamburg, which was widely reported. They also met for the leaders’ photo.

But on Tuesday it emerged that Mr Trump had another hour-long discussion with Mr Putin which was not disclosed by the White House, and at which Mr Trump relied on Mr Putin’s translator. Eyebrows were raised at the absence of American officials during the discussion.

On Friday Mr Lavrov said they may have met again – although he joked about the possibility.

“They might have met even much more than just three times,” he said.

"Maybe they went to the toilet together.”