Venezuela says those behind NATO expansion should de-escalate Ukraine crisis

President Nicolas Maduro insists that Moscow’s conflict with Kiev was ‘provoked’ by the West

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the West of provoking Russia’s conflict with Ukraine on Monday, after senior US officials met with his government over the weekend.

In a speech, Maduro said that “those who provoked this conflict with decades of non-compliance with agreements, with decades of threats against Russia, with decades of preparing plans for the extension of NATO are the first ones who are responsible for de-escalating this conflict.”

#EnVideo????| Pdte. @NicolasMaduro: "Los que provocaron este conflicto con décadas de incumplimientos de acuerdos y amenazas contra Rusia, son los que tienen responsabilidad para desescalar este conflicto y buscar un escenario favorable de negociación".#SomosTierraDeGracia pic.twitter.com/NM123yPm3b

— VTV CANAL 8 (@VTVcanal8) March 8, 2022

Maduro called on those responsible to seek “a favorable scenario of negotiation and agreement” to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The president also said Venezuela was “seriously concerned about the possibility of a war in Europe and an extension to other regions of the world,” and criticized the “public media campaign of hate” and “economic measures that aim to aggravate conditions” and extend the conflict, rather than de-escalate the situation.

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Maduro’s words came after senior US officials traveled to Venezuela over the weekend to meet with Maduro’s government in their highest-level visit since the US broke off diplomatic relations in 2019.

While the US refuses to identify Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, instead recognizing pro-US politician Juan Guaido as the ‘interim’ president, the New York Times reported that the Biden administration was looking to “separate Russia from its remaining international allies” amid Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.