Russia: Lavrov meets Arreaza after Victory Day parade

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Moscow on Tuesday with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza after the 75th annual Victory Parade in the Russian capital.

During the meeting Lavrov said Russia stood with Venezuela's "determination" to counter foreign influence and attempts to bring about a regime change in the South American nation.

Arreaza thanked Russia for supporting Venezuela through recent "years of suffering" where it has faced international sanctions.

Last August US President Donald Trump imposed penalties on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government as part of the pressure campaign against his leadership.

In March Russia's Rosneft transferred its assets in Venezuela to a company fully owned by the Russian government, in a move apparently intended to shield Russia's largest oil producer from US sanctions.

Earlier this year the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a Rosneft subsidiary based in Geneva that sells crude to European customers.