MOSCOW. Dec 21 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken in favor of resolving the Venezuela-Guyana territorial dispute by political and diplomatic means in a phone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, the Kremlin press service said on Thursday.
"Maduro briefed [Putin] on the talks with the Guyanese president on the situation around the Esequibo region. Vladimir Putin called for the Venezuelan-Guyanese territorial dispute to be resolved by political and diplomatic means," the statement said.
The two presidents discussed "current issues in Russian-Venezuelan cooperation on energy, trade and investment, [and in the] cultural and humanitarian spheres" in the phone conversation, the press service said. "Russia will continue to support the Venezuelan leadership's efforts to strengthen the national economy and sovereignty," it said.
"The similarity of approaches to building a just multipolar world order [and] the non-acceptance of illegal sanctions and interference in the internal affairs of countries were underlined during the exchange of views on the international agenda," the Kremlin said.