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Russian military personnel arrive in Venezuela under cooperation agreement — Kremlin aide

President Donald Trump earlier said that the US will consider all likely modes of action in attempts to try to make Russia leave Venezuela

BISHKEK, March 28. /TASS/. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov has said that the arrival of a group of Russian military personnel in Caracas fully agrees with the level of cooperation with Venezuela’s legitimate government.

"All this fits in with normal relations with Venezuela’s legitimate government," he told the media.

While speaking about Donald Trump’s statement concerning the presence of Russian military servicemen in Venezuela Ushakov recalled a remark by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "The US should take care of honoring its obligations in Syria and feel no worry about this matter."

Trump’s threats

The United States will consider all likely modes of action in attempts to try to make Russia leave Venezuela, President Donald Trump said at a meeting with the wife of the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido Fabiana Rosales in the White House. The meeting was telecast by Fox News.

Read also

"Russia has to get out," Trump said. When asked what methods Washington might employ to this end, he replied: "We’ll see. We’ll see. All options are open."

Earlier, the president of Venezuela’s Constituent Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, confirmed the arrival of two Russian planes from Russia. The daily El Comercio said the Antonov-124 and Ilyushin-62 planes carrying Russian military personnel and 35 tonnes of cargoes arrived in Caracas on March 23.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an official commentary on Tuesday that the Russian specialists arrived in Venezuela in strict compliance with the country’s constitution.

"The stay of Russian specialists in Venezuela is governed by the agreement between the government of Russia and the government of Venezuela on military-technical cooperation signed in May 2001 and properly ratified by both countries."

Guaido on January 23 proclaimed himself as acting president. The United States hurried to recognize him in this capacity on the same day. The Lima Group of countries (except Mexico), the Organization of American States and some other states followed suit. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro described the events as a government coup attempt. Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey came out in his support.

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