Russia tells U.S. that its interference in Venezuela has 'nothing to do with democracy', but agrees to bilateral talks

In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the stance the U.S. has taken against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

"Destructive external influence under hypocritical pretext of humanitarian aid has nothing to do with democracy," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement about the conversation, referring to the United States' push for the international recognition of the presidency of opposition leader Juan Guaidó and the recent sanctions imposed upon Maduro's government. The statement also said that "only the Venezuelan people have the right to determine their future."

Per Reuters, Russia and the U.S. "have been at loggerheads" over the issue.

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Despite the criticism, Lavrov also said that Russia, which considers Maduro's government legitimate, is ready to take part in bilateral conversations with the U.S. on the crisis in Venezuela.

The phone call, which was initiated by Pompeo, also featured agreements for the two sides to continue to talk over other foreign policy matters, including Syria, Afghanistan, and the Korean peninsula.