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Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated Moscow’s backing for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during a phone call on Thursday, as tensions between Caracas and Washington escalated over the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker.
According to a Kremlin read-out, Putin expressed “solidarity with the Venezuelan people” and reaffirmed his support for Maduro’s efforts to “protect national interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure.”
The two countries have strengthened political and military ties in recent years, with Maduro visiting Moscow earlier this year to attend Russia’s annual military parade and sign a wide-ranging cooperation agreement.
The latest diplomatic flare-up follows the dramatic operation on Wednesday in which US military personnel stormed a Venezuelan tanker off the country’s coast.
Troops reportedly descended onto the deck from a helicopter before boarding with rifles raised.
Washington accuses Maduro of running a drug cartel — claims he rejects as politically motivated — and says its operations target trafficking networks in the region.
Maduro, for his part, has long argued that the United States seeks to depose his government to gain control of Venezuela’s vast oil resources.
President Donald Trump has deployed warships close to Venezuelan waters, and at least 87 people have died in 22 US strikes on vessels in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, according to recent figures.
As geopolitical frictions intensify, the Kremlin’s public show of support underscores Russia’s role as Maduro’s most powerful ally on the global stage.
