Russian Foreign Minister Rejects Receiving Help Request From Venezuela

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected receiving help requests from Venezuela as tensions between the South American country and the U.S. continue to escalate.

"No, we haven't received any requests," Lavrov said during a press conference reported by EFE agency.

The claim follows several comments about Moscow-Caracas relations as U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, say Maduro's days are numbered.

Last week, Maduro said his regime maintains "daily and ongoing communication" with Russia, including on military matters.

Speaking during his weekly broadcast on state television, Maduro said Caracas and Moscow are "advancing" in what he described as calm but productive military cooperation that "will continue." He added that the two governments are discussing "many developing issues, including the military."

Maduro praised relations with Russia as "model," asserting that President Vladimir Putin has built a framework of "mutual development," as El Debate reports. He said cooperation has also expanded into industry, science, technology, finance, and tourism.

Moreover, another report by The Times claimed that Russia signaled it could supply Venezuela with advanced hypersonic missiles.

Alexey Zhuravlev, deputy head of the Russian parliament's defense committee, said there were "no obstacles to supplying a friendly country with new [weapon] developments such as the Oreshnik," as quoted by The Times. The nuclear-capable Oreshnik is an intermediate-range ballistic missile reportedly capable of traveling more than 3,000 miles at hypersonic speeds.

Zhuravlev added that Russia could also supply Kalibr cruise missiles and warned that "the Americans may be in for some surprises."

Russia has recently criticized a buildup of U.S. assets in the Caribbean. Sergey Rybakov, a deputy foreign minister, said the "unjustified build-up of American forces in the southern Caribbean is creating a situation of heightened tension, and no one but the United States itself is to blame."

According to a recent article from The Washington Post, internal U.S. documents show Maduro asked Russia to help overhaul defensive radars, repair Sukhoi fighter jets, and supply as many as 14 missile systems. He reportedly made similar requests to China and Iran. The requests included a proposed financing plan through Russian defense conglomerate Rostec.