Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly declared his unwavering support for Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during a pivotal telephone conversation on Thursday, as geopolitical tensions between Caracas and Washington reach new heights. The Kremlin released an official statement confirming that Putin expressed “solidarity with the Venezuelan people” and endorsed Maduro’s policies aimed at “protecting national interests and sovereignty against mounting external pressure.”
This high-level diplomatic exchange occurred just one day after American military forces intercepted an oil tanker near Venezuela’s coastline—the latest aggressive maneuver in the Trump administration’s escalating campaign against Maduro, who faces narcoterrorism charges in the United States. The vessel seizure was characterized by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during congressional testimony as part of broader counter-narcotics operations in the region, which have included deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling vessels.
Venezuela’s government has condemned the tanker interception as “blatant theft and an act of international piracy,” while Maduro maintains that Washington’s true objective is regime change rather than drug interdiction. The South American nation’s administration reported that Putin had “categorically reaffirmed his support” for Maduro during their conversation, with both leaders committing to maintain open communication channels between Moscow and Caracas.
The burgeoning Russia-Venezuela alliance represents a continuation of partnerships established under Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chávez, with Moscow providing diverse support ranging from coronavirus vaccines to cryptocurrency design assistance. This relationship has previously manifested through strategic military demonstrations, including the 2018 deployment of nuclear-capable Tu-160 bombers to Venezuela and last year’s naval exercises in the Atlantic Ocean that Russian officials described as flag-showing operations in “remote, important regions.”
Simultaneously, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko—a key Putin ally—met with Venezuela’s ambassador to Russia for the second time in over two weeks, discussing unspecified bilateral matters and potentially arranging future diplomatic visits between the two nations.