Pompeo skips Moscow, heads to Brussels before Putin meeting

Pompeo was seen boarding a plane at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, late Sunday night.

While in Brussels, Pompeo will discuss a range of pressing issues, including Iran, with representatives from the UK, Germany and France, the official said.

He will then proceed as planned to Sochi, Russia, on Tuesday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders.

Pompeo's travel change was last minute, a senior State Department official said.

Official forecasts 'frank discussions' in Sochi

The State Department announced Friday that Pompeo would meet with Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Sochi Tuesday.

The leaders are expected to have "frank discussions" on a broad range of multilateral and bilateral issues, including arms control, Ukraine, Venezuela, North Korea and Iran, according to a senior State Department official.

"It is no secret that we have many areas of disagreement with the Russian government," the senior State Department official told reporters Friday. "The secretary will have a very candid conversation about concerns in our bilateral relationship" including Russia's breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and "Kremlin-backed attempts to meddle in US and other foreign elections."

Russia also continues to hold US citizens, including Paul Whelan and Michael Calvey, in detention, where they have been denied adequate consular services, according to US officials. The state department official said Pompeo was expected to raise that issue during his meetings.

However, the official also noted that there are areas where the US is working jointly with Russia, such as on the Afghan peace process and counterterrorism.

CNN's Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.

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