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Russia’s Lavrov to meet Pompeo in Russia next week: Moscow
MOSCOW, May 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to
visit Russia for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov next week,
Moscow said Tuesday, a day after the two met in Finland.
The meeting will take place in the southern Russian city of Sochi on May
14, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed to AFP.
The visit follows talks on Monday between Lavrov and Pompeo on the
sidelines of an Arctic Council meeting in northern Finland.
Pompeo at the weekend slammed Russia for “aggressive behaviour” in the
Arctic and also said that “Russians must get out” of crisis-wracked
Venezuela.
Lavrov, speaking after Monday’s talks, refused to comment on “political
statements that are made publicly to create a certain effect.”
“We concentrated on real business,” he said, calling the discussion “very
good and constructive.”
The US Secretary of State was due to travel on to Berlin from Finland but
abruptly cancelled the visit due to “pressing issues”, his spokeswoman said.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1640 hrs