Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and other Russian officials in Rome March 18-19 to discuss the deteriorating situation in Venezuela, the State Department announced in a press release Special Representative Abrams will also meet with Italian officials, including Prime Minister Diplomatic Advisor Pietro Benassi.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on Sunday he is due to hold a meeting with US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams on March 19 in Rome.

“The talks will take place on March 19. This is a scheduled contact, this is not a spontaneous meeting,” the high-ranking diplomat said.

“We will warn the United States against military intervention and other forms of illegal influence against the legitimate authorities in Caracas,” Ryabkov said. “We will certainly explain why it is necessary to make efforts for launching inter-Venezuelan dialogue.”

Earlier, the US State Department announced that Abrams would meet with Ryabkov to “discuss the deteriorating situation in Venezuela.”

On March 2 at Washington’s initiative the top Russian and US diplomats held a phone conversation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Moscow was ready for talks with the US on Venezuela, but only provided that the UN Charter’s provisions were observed.

Will take Russia a tougher stance on Maduro?

There are signs that Russia is not anymore fully backing Venezuela's president Maduro. The state owned news agency TASS reported, that a recent poll shows rapid decline in support for Maduro. The TASS rarely quotes Western polls as it often doubts the results. In this case, TASS seems to be keen to give the poll the utmost credibility. The news item reads very unpleasant for Maduro, who might have to prepare himself for a situation where Russia is taking a tougher stance on the president.

The TASS article reads:

Around 90% of Venezuelans want President Nicolas Maduro to resign, according to a poll conducted by Venezuelan company Meganalisis. The results of the poll were published in El Nacional newspaper.

The poll was held on March 11-14 in 16 states and 32 cities. Around 1,100 people took part in the survey, with 88.9% calling for the soonest resignation of Maduro and his government. Statistical error stood at 3.3%.

Venezuela has been going through a social-economic crisis over the last years, accompanied by hyperinflation and devaluation of national currency. The situation was further complicated this year when the confrontation between the government and their political opponents became more acute.

On January 23 Venezuelan National Assembly Speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as the country’s acting president. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has described it as a coup attempt and announced severing diplomatic relations with the United States. On January 28 the US imposed sancitons on Venezuela’s state-owned PDVSA oil company.

Guaido was recognized as interim president by the Lima Group countries (except for Mexico), as well as by Albania, Georgia, the United States, and the Organization of American States. Several EU countries came forward with support for the Venezuelan parliament and expressed hope for new elections to resolve the crisis. Maduro was supported by Russia, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Turkey. Belarus and China called for resolving all issues by peaceful means and spoke against any interference from the outside. The UN secretary general called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.