Russian FM, Venezuelan counterpart to meet in Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza will hold talks in Moscow on Sunday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) and his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza. [File Photo: China Plus]

Lavrov and Arreaza will discuss the pressure exerted by a group of countries on Caracas and Washington's threats to use force against the incumbent government, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

According to the Russian media Sputnik, Ryabkov said it is necessary to curb street chaos that the opposition incited for provocations, and Russia advocates inclusive dialogue, which the Venezuelan government is ready for.

He underlined that Russia and Venezuela are "reliable partners."

The meeting with Arreaza will take place just one day ahead of Lavrov's talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Venezuela among other issues in Finland on Monday.

In a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said "only the Venezuelans themselves have the right to determine the future of their country."

External interference does nothing but undermine the prospects for a political settlement of the current crisis, Putin told Trump.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had proclaimed himself as the interim president, reportedly called on the Venezuelan people and military to take to the streets to overthrow the country's President Nicolas Maduro.

The attempted coup was later frustrated by security forces.