During a live broadcast, Valerii Kluchok commented on rumors about Russia allegedly offering a Ukraine-Venezuela swap to the US in 2019, dismissing these as fake news aimed at sowing discord between Ukraine and its Western partners. He argued that such reports are misleading and provoke misunderstanding.
Discussing Venezuela, Kluchok highlighted its dictatorial regime, close ties with Russia, China, Iran and Cuba, and the lack of genuine democratic processes. He noted that US engagement with Venezuela occurs against the backdrop of long-standing sanctions first imposed under Barack Obama, and that nearly all US assets in Venezuela, except Chevron’s, were nationalized.
Kluchok praised the US-led operation to detain Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, drawing a parallel with the ongoing efforts to hold Russian leaders accountable for crimes against Ukraine. He stressed the importance—and difficulty—of democratic changes in Venezuela for both the region and global politics.
Regarding sanctions on Russian tankers, Kluchok approved US actions against vessels violating the sanction regime and called on EU countries to act more decisively in halting illegal Russian oil trade. In his view, these measures put pressure on authoritarian regimes like Russia and its allies, contributing to the preservation of democracy worldwide.
Kluchok also criticized China’s double standards, condemning US tanker seizures while ignoring Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He urged Western countries to go beyond symbolic sanctions and take effective steps to contain dictatorial regimes.
The interview ended with a call to speed up support for Ukraine, strengthen democratic values, and intensify sanctions on states threatening peace and security around the world.
