U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov Monday amid tensions between the two countries over the political crisis in Venezuela, VOA reports.
Ahead of the meeting Monday in Finland, Pompeo stressed that he wants Russia to stop “messing around” in Venezuela.
“I’m going to tell him the same thing the president told the world: that every country must get out, including the Russians,” Pompeo told Fox News Sunday. “That’s what I’ll tell him. We don’t want anyone messing around with Venezuela.”
The meeting between Pompeo and Lavrov in Finland comes a day after Lavrov met with Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza in Moscow.
Arreaza told reporters Monday that Venezuela may expand the use of Russian military, as the country fights attempts by opposition leader and self-declared interim president Juan Guaido to oust longtime ruler Nicolas Maduro.
The U.S. has recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s leader and supported a bid by Venezuela’s opposition last week to spur a military uprising, which ultimately failed.
Last week, Pompeo told Lavrov in a phone call that “the intervention by Russia and Cuba is destabilizing for Venezuela and for the U.S.-Russia bilateral relationship.” Pompeo also urged Russia to stop support Maduro.
Washington has accused Russia of talking Maduro out of leaving Venezuela. Moscow has denied the allegation.
Pompeo is currently attending a meeting of the Arctic Council in Finland, of which both the U.S. and Russia are members.