CARACAS, October 5. /TASS/. Russia and Venezuela have raised cooperation to a level of strategic partners and allies amid US sanctions against Caracas, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said on Saturday at a meeting of co-chairs of the bilateral intergovernmental commission.
"The talks between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Maduro, held in Moscow on September 25, helped to conceptually discuss multifaceted, constructive cooperation between Russia and Venezuela as between strategic partners and allies," Borisov said.
According to Borisov, Maduro’s visit to Russia was a signal for international community.
"I think that the US unilateral steps provide Russia with a unique chance to build our cooperation on a principally new foundation," Borisov said.
On November 1, 2018, US President Donald Trump announced sanctions against Venezuela’s transactions involving its gold reserves. On August 5, 2019, Trump signed an executive order freezing all assets of the Venezuelan government under US jurisdiction and prohibiting any financial means, goods or services from being provided to Caracas. In particular, sanctions were imposed on Venezuela’s Central Bank and the oil and natural gas company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).