President Trump met with his newly minted ambassador to Russia on Friday before the diplomat returns to Moscow, the White House said in a statement.

Trump met with Jon Huntsman and his wife Mary Kaye before they return to Moscow to "represent the United States and work toward improving our relationship with Russia," the White House said.

Huntsman, a former governor of Utah and 2012 GOP presidential candidate, was confirmed as Trump's ambassador to Russia last week.

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Trump nominated Huntsman to the ambassadorship in July, touting his distinguished career in business. Huntsman is now taking the lead on diplomacy to the country amid heightened tensions in Washington over Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

Huntsman said in an interview Friday on "Fox and Friends" that relations between the U.S. and Russia are "at an all-time low," though he expressed optimism the two countries can achieve mutually beneficial results.