Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro delivers a speech during a pro-government rally against US sanctions in Caracas on August 10, 2019.

The leaders of the U.S. and Venezuela have confirmed high-ranking officials from their respective governments have been engaged in talks "for months."

It comes less than three days after both Axios and the Associated Press reported that the U.S. had opened secret communications with top members of Venezuela's socialist administration.

Speaking at the White House during a meeting with his Romanian counterpart on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said: "We are talking to various representatives of Venezuela … I don't want to say who but we are talking at a very high level."

Shortly thereafter, Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro said during a televised address: "I can confirm that for months that we have had contact."

Maduro said the aim of discussions was to "normalize and resolve this conflict" between the two countries. However, like Trump, Maduro did not wish to disclose which officials had been engaged in the talks, citing: "various contacts through various channels."

"Just as I have sought dialogue in Venezuela, I have sought a way for President Donald Trump to really listen to Venezuela," he added.

The South American nation is currently in the midst of one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent memory, with more than 4 million people having fled since 2015 amid an economic meltdown.