Putin reaffirms support for Venezuela’s Maduro over U.S. tensions

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on Tuesday, July 2, 2013. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reaffirmed his support to Venezuela in a phone call with long-time ally President Nicolas Maduro, the Kremlin said.

The call comes after the United States seized an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast, the latest escalation in the long-standing friction between the two countries.

Russia has fostered warm ties with Venezuela, and Maduro visited Moscow earlier this year, attending an annual military parade and signing a broad partnership agreement with Putin.

In a phone call on Thursday, “Vladimir Putin expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people”, the Kremlin said in a read-out.

The Russian leader had also “confirmed his support for the Maduro government’s policy aimed at protecting national interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure”, the statement added.

Caracas, for its part, said the leaders “reaffirmed the strategic, solid, and growing nature of their bilateral relations”.

It added that Putin had “reiterated that the channels of direct communication between the two nations remain permanently open and assured that Russia will continue to support Venezuela in its struggle to uphold its sovereignty, international law, and peace throughout Latin America”.

On Wednesday, the U.S. military seized a Venezuelan oil tanker -- troops rappelled onto the tanker’s deck from a helicopter and entered the ship with rifles raised.

Washington has accused Venezuela’s leftist leader of heading a drug cartel, which he denies. Maduro has said the United States is seeking regime change and to seize Venezuela’s vast stores of oil.

U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed warships within striking distance of Venezuela, and at least 87 people have been killed in at least 22 strikes on boats in the Eastern Pacific and the Caribbean Sea.