Pompeo warns Putin on Iran, Venezuela, elections

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to discuss the two countries’ differences in regional conflicts around the globe. In a visit to the Black Sea city of Sochi, Pompeo assured the Russians that the United States doesn’t seek war with Iran but won’t hesitate to respond “if American interests are attacked.” He also urged Russia to end its support for embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to ensure that Venezuela regains its democracy. The United States supports interim President Juan Guaidó, who has pledged to correct corruption and failed economic policies that plunged Venezuela into a financial crisis. Lavrov retorted that the U.S. threats against the country have “nothing to do with democracy.”

Pompeo said he also told Lavrov the United States will not tolerate any interference from Russia during the 2020 U.S. presidential election. “If the Russians were to engage in that in 2020, it would put our relationship in an even worse place than it has been,” Pompeo said.