Trump 'said firing Comey eased pressure over Russia'

Current White House official 'significant person of interest in Russia probe'

President jets off to Saudi Arabia

Nine-day tour is first overseas trip of his presidency

Comey to testify before Senate panel

Russians 'bragged about Flynn influence'

Former FBI Director James Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump last week amid an agency investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election, has agreed to testify before the US Senate intelligence committee.

The public hearing will be scheduled after the May 29 Memorial Day holiday, the committee said in a statement on Friday.

The appearance will come under intense scrutiny after it was claimed Mr Trump urged Mr Comey to end the FBI investigation into Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser.

Mr Comey will certainly be asked about other encounters that precipitated his firing, including a January dinner in which, Mr Comey has told associates, the president asked for his loyalty.

The announcement came hours after it emerged that Mr Trump told Russian officials in the Oval Office that Mr Comey was a "crazy nut job" and firing him had relieved “great pressure”.

Mr Trump reportedly told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak: "I just fired the head of the FBI. He was crazy, a real nut job. I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off. I’m not under investigation."