Lavrov, Pompeo discuss Venezuela, Skripal in phone talk

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo against interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs, including military action, Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The two had a telephone conversation in which Lavrov expressed readiness to discuss the situation "in the framework of the UN Charter.”

Political tensions are high in the Latin American country ever since opposition leader Guaido declared himself acting president late last month in a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

Russia, Turkey, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have put their weight behind President Nicolas Maduro.

Turing to Pompeo's intention to place additional sanctions against Russia for a nerve agent attack in the U.K., Lavrov stressed that ''this unjustified step by Washington will only aggravate the situation in bilateral relations and the atmosphere on the world stage," the statement said.

Ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were allegedly poisoned by a nerve agent in Salisbury last March.

British authorities blamed Russia for being behind the attempted murder, a charge Moscow denies.

U.K. expelled 23 Russian diplomats -- and 121 diplomats were expelled worldwide as a diplomatic crisis brewed.