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Russia Backs Venezuela Against U.S. Oil Blockade

12/22/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Russia expresses support for Venezuela as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil condemn U.S. actions over a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers.
Lavrov and Gil condemned U.S. actions, including the seizure of two tankers.
They expressed concerns about consequences of U.S. activity in Caribbean and said the issue will be discussed at UN Security Council meeting with backing from Russia and China.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. imposed an oil embargo on Venezuela in 2019, drastically cutting its oil exports by over 90% to pressure President Nicolás Maduro. This followed decades of economic mismanagement and reliance on oil revenues, which peaked under Hugo Chávez's administration. Russia's support for Venezuela, highlighted by recent statements from Sergey Lavrov, underscores a longstanding geopolitical alliance against U.S. influence in Latin America.

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Story summary

Russia expresses support for Venezuela as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil condemn U.S. actions over a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers.
Lavrov and Gil condemned U.S. actions, including the seizure of two tankers.
They expressed concerns about consequences of U.S. activity in Caribbean and said the issue will be discussed at UN Security Council meeting with backing from Russia and China.

1 / 2