HELSINKI, July 10. /TASS/. The new round of talks between representatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the Venezuelan opposition, held in Barbados, is important for the settlement of the situation in the country, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said after talks with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale.

"We highlight the importance of the efforts taken by the Norwegian side aimed at facilitating talks and consultations between the [Venezuelan] government and the opposition. The next round, which, to our understanding, is underway in Barbados, provides a serious contribution to the joint efforts aimed at normalizing the situation."

"As far as I understand, the US position on this issue contains a set of features significantly different from our approach, however, it is not my place to evaluate the American policy. It is important for us that the process does not peter out, that it is ongoing, that we are looking for common solutions," Ryabkov continued.

According to the diplomat, the US has played a certain role in the attempt to carry out a coup in Venezuela. "We do not hide our disapproval of such methods, we have talked about it as well," he concluded.

Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and speaker of the National Assembly, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital, Caracas, on January 23. On the same day, the United States recognized him as an interim president, and the countries of the Lima Group (excluding Mexico) and the Organization of American States followed suit. Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro blasted the move as an attempted coup and announced severing diplomatic ties with the United States.

Most European Union member states recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president. Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey voiced support for Maduro.