President Donald Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn charged by FBI

• Report by ITV News Washington Correspondent Robert Moore

Former national security advisor Michael Flynn has pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about meetings with Russia's ambassador before Donald Trump took office.

He is the first official who worked in the Trump White House to make a guilty plea in a wide-ranging investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

It is looking into possible co-ordination between Russia and the Trump campaign to influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is the "very senior transition official" referred to in court papers filed in Mr Flynn's case, according to US media reports.

The US government did not reveal the identity of the senior transition official.

Prosecutors with Mr Mueller's office say Flynn falsely stated to the FBI that he had not discussed sanctions with the then Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

Mr Mueller is investigating claims of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

In statement following his court appearance, Mr Flynn called his guilty plea, a way "to set things right, in the best interests of my family and our country".

White House lawyer Ty Cobb later said "nothing" about Mr Flynn's guilty plea implicates anyone in the White House.

Mr Cobb also pointed out that he had worked in the White House for only 25 days and was a "former Obama administration official".

Mr Flynn is the fourth person charged in connection with Mueller's investigation.

On Friday, the president ignored questions from reporters as he welcomed the Libyan prime minister to the White House.

His aides also cancelled media access to a later meeting between the pair.

Mr Trump did appear briefly at an afternoon White House holiday reception for the media, where he offered season's greetings and departed without addressing the Mueller investigation.