The U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Rome on March 18-19, the U.S. State Department has said in a press release.
The March 16 release said the two officials will "discuss the deteriorating situation in Venezuela." It said Abrams will also meet with Italian officials while in Rome.
Venezuelan opposition leader and parliament speaker Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on January 23, and was recognized by the United States, most European Union countries, and the majority of Latin American countries in the following days and weeks.
Several other countries, including Russia, Iran, Cuba, Bolivia, and Turkey continue to recognize Nicolas Maduro as president.
Russia -- which has loaned Venezuela billions of dollars in recent years -- has been Maduro's biggest international supporter since the dispute with Guaido began.
