Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia next week, according to the State Department.

Pompeo will meet with Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to discuss "the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the department said in a press release. Pompeo is scheduled to arrive in Moscow on Monday with a diplomatic team.

The two countries are facing tension on a number of fronts around the world, including in Venezuela, Iran and North Korea.

News of the trip comes one week after a lengthy phone call between President Donald Trump and Putin, the first such high-level conversation since special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election was released to the public.

Trump said after the call that the two discussed the "Russian Hoax" in addition to a variety of other issues. But Trump said they did not talk about Russian interference in future U.S. elections.

The meeting also follows the abrupt cancellation on Tuesday of a meeting between Pompeo and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany. The State Department cited "pressing issues" at the time.

Pompeo met with Lavrov earlier this month. The two held talks in Finland May 6, which Russian media said made the phone call between Trump and Putin possible. </s> On Visit To Russia, Pompeo Says 'We Would Not Tolerate' Interference In 2020 Election

Enlarge this image toggle caption Pavel Golovkin/AFP/Getty Images Pavel Golovkin/AFP/Getty Images

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi Tuesday, holding talks that are aimed at improving relations between Washington and Moscow. But the discussions also allowed them to air their disagreements — and they took advantage of that, diverging on topics from Russia's attempts to destabilize other countries to how to resolve crises in Venezuela, Iran and other complicated issues.

At a wide-ranging news conference, Pompeo said the two spoke about "the question of interference in our domestic affairs," adding that Russia now has a chance to prove "that these types of activities are a thing of the past."

Pompeo later said, "I made clear to Foreign Minister Lavrov... that interference in American elections is unacceptable. If the Russians were to engage in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been."

"We would not tolerate that," he added.

Pompeo is also slated to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Sochi, the Black Sea resort that hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Describing talks that went on for well over an hour, Lavrov said they held "negotiations" on a variety of pressing global issues, from Venezuela, the Korean peninsula and Iran, as well as Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan.

Both of the diplomats said they had "frank" discussions on those issues.

He and Pompeo have decided to rebuild channels of communication between the U.S. and Russia, Lavrov said.

"Lately these channels were frozen," Lavrov said, citing what he called "baseless accusations against us" regarding Russia's attempts to influence American elections and "certain collusion of high-ranking officials."

Saying that "such insinuations are absolutely fake," Lavrov added that with the release of special counsel Robert Mueller's report, "we hope that this tumultuous situation will die down."

To improve relations, Lavrov recommended creating a "nongovernmental expert council of famous political analysts, ex-military and diplomats" who could offer a "fresh take" on overcoming mistrust.

On Venezuela — the country where the Trump administration has backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó's bid to become president — Pompeo said, "We have disagreement."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has "brought nothing but misery to the Venezuelan people," Pompeo said, "and we hope that Russia's support for Maduro will end."

Despite being at odds on that issue, Pompeo added, the U.S. and Russia should work to ease the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. He later called on "every country that's interfering in Venezuela to cease doing that. We want the Venezuelan people to get their democracy back."

Showing the depths of the disagreement over Venezuela, Lavrov countered, "Democracy cannot be done by force." He cited threats against Maduro's government that have come from both U.S. officials and from Guaidó himself.

"This has nothing in common with democracy," Lavrov said. And to drive home his point, he mentioned America's intervention in Iraq, and its long-running attempts to install democracy there.

Pompeo also said he "raised the issue of U.S. citizens who have been detained in Russia" — U.S. citizen Paul Whelan, an ex-Marine has been held since his arrest in late December.

Both officials said that while they noted their differences, they are intent on working through them. As Pompeo said at the start of his meeting with Lavrov, "I'm here today because President Trump is committed to improving this relationship."

Tuesday's trip to Russia is the latest leg of Pompeo's journey that included meetings with EU officials in Brussels Monday — a surprise visit that displaced what had been a scheduled visit to the U.S. embassy in Moscow. While in Belgium, Pompeo discussed another high-profile part of the Trump administration's foreign policy, its sanctions against Iran.

When he was asked about the U.S. withdrawal from an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program in Sochi — and recent reports that the U.S. may be planning to mass some 120,000 troops to the Persian Gulf — Pompeo said the Trump administration is pressuring Iran's leaders because "we're looking for Iran to behave like a normal country."

"We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran," Pompeo said.

As for reports that more U.S. troops could be moved to the Middle East, Pompeo said he would defer to the Defense Department. He added, "We've also made clear to the Iranians that if American interests are attacked, we will most certainly respond in an appropriate fashion."

At the start of the sessions between the top U.S. and Russian diplomats, Lavrov told Pompeo, "I believe that it is time to build a new, more constructive and responsible matrix of our relationship, of our mutual perception. We are prepared to do that, if our U.S. colleagues and counterparts are ready to reciprocate that."

Lavrov added that the two countries must now rebuild trust, concluding, "Let's try, and see what happens."

In reply, Pompeo noted that they have met twice in the past two weeks, with more chances to come. And he said that despite their differences, the two countries might work together better.

"It's not destined that we're adversaries on every issue, and I hope that we can find places where we have a set of overlapping interests and can truly begin to build out strong relationships — at least on those particular issues."

Pompeo noted examples such as counter-terrorism and security concerns. </s> WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet President Vladimir Putin next week in Russia in the highest-level formal talks between the powers in 10 months, the State Department said on Friday (May 10).

The top US diplomat will meet Putin next Tuesday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi to "discuss the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges," the State Department said.

The United States and Russia are at loggerheads over a number of global issues including Venezuela, where Pompeo has led US calls to demand that Moscow stop backing President Nicolas Maduro, a leftist whom Washington is trying to oust.

The trip marks the most significant US interaction with Putin since July, when President Donald Trump met the Russian leader in Finland in an encounter that was widely criticised inside the United States.

Trump at a joint news conference appeared to take at face value Putin's insistence that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election - despite findings of US intelligence as well as Putin's open statement in Helsinki that he favoured Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Pompeo's trip comes after the long-awaited release of a probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who found widespread efforts by Russia to meddle in the US election but did not find that the Trump campaign colluded - a conclusion that has brought relief to the embattled White House.

Trump again raised eyebrows a week ago when he said that Putin told him in a lengthy phone call that he was "not looking at all to get involved in Venezuela" and wanted to "see something positive happen" in the crisis-torn country.

Russia earlier announced Pompeo's visit but it had been unclear whether he would meet Putin. He will also hold talks in Sochi with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov - their second meeting in as many weeks after they met on the sidelines of an Arctic conference in Helsinki.

Pompeo will also visit Moscow, where he will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier dedicated to Soviet troops killed in World War II - an era when Moscow and Washington were allied. </s> May 10 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov next week during a trip to Sochi, Russia, the State Department announced Friday.

Pompeo will arrive Monday and meet with U.S. Embassy officials in Moscow along with American business leaders there. He is also expected to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

On Tuesday, Pompeo is scheduled to meet with Putin and Lavrov to "discuss the full range of bilateral and multilateral challenges."

Russia's state-run Tass news agency reported that Lavrov would meet with Pompeo and that the Kremlin did not rule out a meeting with Putin.

Russia said the discussions will include issues connected with the political standoff in Venezuela, the Syrian civil war and Ukraine.

Moscow said the two sides had agreed to meet during a sidelines meeting Monday at the Arctic Council session in Finland.

Both countries have criticized each other over Venezuela, where the United States supports National Assembly President Juan Gaido, while Russia backs embattled President Nicolas Maduro.

Last week, Lavrov complained that U.S. involvement in Venezuela's internal affairs by supporting Gaido was a violation of international law. Pompeo said American military intervention was still "possible."

The Trump administration had slowed an earlier planned withdrawal of troops from Syria, where Russia has been aiding the Syrian government. The White House said earlier this year that 400 troops will remain in Syria as peacekeepers, against the wishes of Moscow and Damascus.

In March, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned six Russians and several defense entities in connection with Russia's seizure of Ukrainian vessels and sailors in the Kerch Strait in November. American and Western allies voiced opposition to the seizure while Russia claimed the vessels sailed illegally into Russian-controlled waters. </s> MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a summit in Helsinki on July 16, the Kremlin and the White House announced Thursday.

A terse synchronized statement said the two presidents will discuss bilateral issues and international relations. The announcement comes a day after President Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton held talks with Russian officials in Moscow to lay the groundwork for the summit.

“I’ve said it from day one, getting along with Russia and with China and with everybody is a very good thing,” President Trump said Wednesday. “It’s good for the world. It’s good for us. It’s good for everybody.”

He said they would discuss Syria, Ukraine and “many other subjects.”

Putin had two brief meetings with President Trump on the sidelines of international summits last year, but plans for a full-fledged summit have been thrown back amid the U.S. investigations into alleged collusion between President Trump’s campaign and Russia.

Ahead of the announcement, President Trump repeated Russian denials of election interference, tweeting “Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!”

President Trump has continually parroted the Kremlin’s denial of election interference, a move that has put him out of step with the findings of the U.S. intelligence community and nearly all Democrats and Republicans in Congress, who say there’s clear evidence of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is likely to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo within the next two weeks as part of efforts to set the stage for the summit.

Ryabkov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies Thursday that Moscow already has made a proposal regarding the specifics of the meeting and is waiting for Washington’s answer. </s> CARACAS, Venezuela — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told the Russian foreign minister that Russia's dispatch of military personnel to Venezuela is increasing tensions there.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino says Pompeo called Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday and said "the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by" while Russia takes steps to support its ally, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Pompeo's call came after a Venezuelan official said Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas this weekend as part of ongoing military cooperation. Reports that two Russian air force planes arrived could not be independently confirmed.

The U.S. and dozens of other countries support Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who says Maduro's re-election last year was rigged. Maduro alleges the U.S. and Guaido are plotting a coup. </s> MOSCOW (AP) — The Latest on the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin (all times local):

President Donald Trump is repeating his denials of any Russian election interference as details are released on his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The White House and the Kremlin announced Thursday that the two leaders would meet in Helsinki on July 16.

Ahead of the announcement, Trump tweeted, "Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election!"

Trump has continually parroted the Kremlin's denial of interference in the 2016 elections. That move has put him out of step with the findings of the U.S. intelligence community and nearly all Democrats and Republicans in Congress who say there is clear evidence of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

The Kremlin and the White House say the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will take place in Helsinki on July 16.

The synchronized announcement comes a day after Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton held talks with Russian officials in Moscow to lay the groundwork for the summit.

Trump said Wednesday that "getting along with Russia and with China and with everybody is a very good thing." He said they would discuss Syria, Ukraine and "many other subjects."

The Russian leader had two brief meetings with Trump on the sidelines of international summits last year, but plans for a full-fledged summit have been thrown back amid the U.S. investigations into alleged collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia.

Moscow says the top Russian and U.S. diplomats are likely to meet to set the stage for a summit between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is likely to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo within two weeks. Ryabkov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies Thursday that Moscow already has made a proposal regarding the specifics of the meeting and is waiting for Washington's answer.

Trump told reporters that he'll probably meet with Putin during a July trip to Europe. He mentioned Helsinki, Finland, and Vienna, Austria, as possible venues, adding that he would be receiving an update from his adviser, John Bolton, who visited Moscow Wednesday to lay the groundwork for the summit.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told the Russian foreign minister that Russia’s dispatch of military personnel to Venezuela is increasing tensions there.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino says Pompeo called Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday and said “the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by” while Russia takes steps to support its ally, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Pompeo’s call came after a Venezuelan official said Russian aircraft arrived in Caracas this weekend as part of ongoing military cooperation. Reports that two Russian air force planes arrived could not be independently confirmed.

The U.S. and dozens of other countries support Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who says Maduro’s re-election last year was rigged. Maduro alleges the U.S. and Guaido are plotting a coup. </s> Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are scheduled to hold their first official summit in Helsinki on July 16, according to the White House.

U.S. national security adviser, John Bolton, met with Putin in Moscow and the Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections is expected to be on the agenda.

According to The Guardian, U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control and security concerns will also be among the topics the two leaders will discuss.

While all the U.S. intelligent agencies conclude that Russia meddled in the elections, Trump made his position clear ahead of the meeting.

On Twitter, the president raised questions against his intelligent agencies with accusations of corruption and calls for Hillary Clinton’s ties to Russia to be investigated.

“Russia continues to say they had nothing to do with Meddling in our Election! Where is the DNC Server, and why didn’t Shady James Comey and the now disgraced FBI agents take and closely examine it? Why isn’t Hillary/Russia being looked at? So many questions, so much corruption!”

The upcoming summit will be the third meeting between the two leaders but the first formal summit. The last time they met, President Trump said he took Putin’s word that Russia didn’t meddle in the U.S. elections.

Trump and Putin’s first meeting in Hamburg G7 last year ended in controversy. At the dinner, the two leaders had an undisclosed, hour-long meeting with only a Russian translator present.

Trump is expected to discuss Ukraine and Syria conflicts as well as economic sanctions at the Helsinki summit. Many commentators expect the summit to be a symbolic affair similar to the Singapore meeting between Trump and Kim Jong-un.

Putin pointed out the U.S.-Russia relations are not their best after meeting with John Bolton.

While Trump seemingly cast doubts on Russia meddling in the election process, officials in his administration have pushed back.

Bolton, who has accused Russia of being untrustworthy in the past, said in Moscow that the optics of a meeting between the two leaders do not connect the Trump campaign to the Russian meddling scandal.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN during an interview that Trump takes election meddling seriously.

Trump’s public comment on the Russian interference seems to contradict Pompeo’s assertion.
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets Russian President Vladimir Putin and warns Russia to not interfere in the 2020 United States presidential election.