Venezuela’s allies have gained new prominence amid US strain marketing campaign and navy build-up.
Published On 11 Dec 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has affirmed Moscow’s solidarity with Venezuela, a day after the United States seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the Latin American nation’s coast.
Putin’s change with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro got here throughout a name on Thursday, in response to the Kremlin.
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“Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan folks”, the Kremlin stated in a readout.
The Russian chief “confirmed his help for the Maduro authorities’s coverage geared toward defending nationwide pursuits and sovereignty within the face of rising exterior strain”, it added.
Venezuela’s authorities stated the pair “reaffirmed the strategic, stable, and rising nature of their bilateral relations”.
It added that Putin “reiterated that the channels of direct communication between the 2 nations stay completely open and warranted that Russia will proceed to help Venezuela in its wrestle to uphold its sovereignty, worldwide regulation, and peace all through Latin America”.
The heat phrases come because the administration of US President Donald Trump continues to up strain on Venezuela. On Tuesday, US Navy Seals boarded and seized a US-sanctioned tanker within the Caribbean, the place US navy belongings have surged.
Caracas has referred to as the seizure an act of “worldwide piracy”.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated she wouldn’t rule out future actions towards sanctioned tankers.
“We’re not going to face by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which is able to gas narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the globe,” she stated.
Washington has not formally recognized the tanker, however British maritime danger agency Vanguard stated the vessel gave the impression to be the crude service Skipper. The tanker was sanctioned in 2022 for allegedly serving to to move oil for the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, and Iran’s Quds Force.
The US has for weeks been conducting strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats within the Caribbean and jap Pacific, with Trump repeatedly threatening to take navy motion on Venezuelan territory.
The Trump administration has stated any actions could be geared toward Venezuela’s illicit drug commerce, regardless of specialists dismissing claims that the nation is a number one supply of medicine smuggled into the US.
Maduro has stated the strain marketing campaign is geared toward toppling his authorities.
The scenario has introduced renewed consideration to Venezuela’s allies, which have dwindled lately. Currently, solely Nicaragua and Cuba stay intently aligned with Venezuela within the area.
Caracas maintains shut ties with Russia and China, and ties with Iran have strengthened lately amid shared opposition to US coverage.
Critics have accused the Trump administration of utilizing navy strain in an effort to open Venezuela’s huge oil reserves to US and Western corporations, a cost US officers have denied.
