REUTERS

"The Secretary will travel to Moscow, Russia, on April 12, where he will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other Russian officials to discuss Ukraine, counterterrorism efforts, bilateral relations and other issues, including the DPRK and Syria," the message reads. 

This trip is part of an effort to maintain direct lines of communication with senior Russian officials and to ensure U.S. views are clearly conveyed, including on next steps in Minsk implementation, according to the State Department.

Read alsoU.S. Secretary of State denounces Russian aggression in Ukraine – mediaAhead of his Russia visit, Tillerson will fly to Italy to take part in the meeting of G7 top diplomats.

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As UNIAN reported earlier, U.S. senators have called on Tillerson to meet pro-democracy activists.