Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lubinsky called on the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro at a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter.
“We urge Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. We consistently advocate respect for Venezuela's sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of all differences,“ he said.
The diplomat added that Russia unconditionally supports the legitimate authorities of Venezuela and that the country must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without external interference.
He also strongly condemned the US actions against Cuba, which have brought it to the brink of an energy crisis. The politician noted that "such illegal sanctions" have the obvious goal of creating obstacles to the country's development and limiting its productive economic interactions with other countries.
The fuel crisis worsened after Donald Trump's executive order allowing the imposition of tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba.
Moscow intends to continue supplying oil to the republic. The Russian side is discussing options for resolving the situation and providing assistance with its Cuban partners.
In addition, Lubinsky called on Washington to abandon plans to strike Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities. Russia is ready to provide the necessary assistance to return to peace talks, he stressed.