Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov launched a scathing assessment of the foreign policy imposed by the White House, describing it as “grossly violating international law”. The top diplomat stressed public diplomacy “plays a major role in maintaining trust and mutual understanding between the people” and the relationship “between the civic societies”. Mr Lavrov insisted the US had undermined this by imposing their “unilateral approaches” wherever it wants.
The foreign minister added: “This is especially important in conditions when international tensions not only persist, but moreover are growing.
“First of all in connection with an insistent bid of our American colleagues and their closest allies to impose on all and everywhere their unilateral approaches, grossly violating international law.”
This comes amidst a clash between Russia and US over their involvement in the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela.
US President Donald Trump has called on Moscow to pull its troops from Venezuela and warned that “all options” were open to make that happen.
On Saturday the Kremlin sent two air force planes to Caracas carrying almost 100 troops.
This angered the US president who said: “Russia has to get out.”
The US Vice President Mike Pence stated the military intervention was an “unwelcome provocation” and called on Russia to stop supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Mr Trump and Mr Pence had been meeting Fabiana Rosales, who is the wife of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.
During the meeting, Washington continued to express support for her husband, who invoked the constitution to assume the interim presidency in January, saying Mr Maduro’s re-election was not legitimate.
Mr Pence said: “The United States views Russia’s arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation.
“We call on Russia today to cease all support of the Maduro regime and stand with Juan Guaido and stand with nations across this hemisphere and across the world until freedom is restored.”