Lavrov, Pompeo discuss coronavirus situation over phone

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic during a phone conversation at the initiative of the U.S. side, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.

"The intention was confirmed to facilitate the implementation of decisions reached at the G20 summit held on March 26 in a video conference format," it said.

They also discussed other pressing issues on the international agenda, including the situation in the sphere of strategic stability and the Syrian settlement, as well as some problems of bilateral relations, it added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed closer collaboration in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease during a phone talk earlier in the day.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)