27/3/2019 Donald Trump says 'Russia has to get out' of Venezuela - CNNPolitics

Trump says 'Russia has to get out' of

Venezuela
By Maegan Vazquez and Allie Malloy, CNN
Updated 2112 GMT (0512 HKT) March 27, 2019

Washington (CNN) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Russia to "get out" of Venezuela following
recent reports of Russian planes arriving in the country.

During an Oval O ce meeting with Fabiana Rosales, the wife of Juan Guaido, the president of the country's
National Assembly, who the Trump administration recognizes as Venezuela's acting president, Trump was asked
whether Russia's involvement complicates the situation in Venezuela.

"Russia has to get out. What's your next question?" Trump said.

Trump was also asked whether he has communicated that Russia should leave of Venezuela through national
security adviser John Bolton or through the United Nations.

"They know very well," Trump said.

If Russia doesn't leave Venezuela, Trump said: "We'll see. We'll see. All options are open ... all options are open."

Trump's stance against Russia's involvement in Venezuela

comes against the backdrop of his repeated defense of
Russia in other settings -- including believing Russian
President Vladimir Putin's claims that his government did not
interfere with the 2016 US election and sticking up for Russia
among world leaders at the last G7 summit.
 Earlier Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence also addressed
Saturday's arrival of the Russian planes.

"The United States views Russia's arrival of military planes this

weekend as an unwelcome provocation and we call on Russia
Related Video: Trump sticks up for Russia today to cease all support for the (Nicolas) Maduro regime,
at G7 02:34 and stand with Guaido, stand with nations across this
hemisphere and around the world until freedom is restored,"
Pence said.

While the Trump administration made a bold declaration by

recognizing Guaido as the acting leader of Venezuela, Russia has continued to back embattled Venezuelan
president Nicolas Maduro.

In December, signs pointed to Russia and Venezuela deepening ties as the Kremlin extended a lifeline to the cash-
stripped country by agreeing to restructure $3.15 billion of debt payments that it owes Moscow. Venezuela also
owes debts to China, oil service providers, airlines and a slew of other entities.

Russian planes arrived at Simon Bolivar International Airport near Caracas on Saturday, a diplomatic source in
Caracas told Russian state-owned media RIA Novosti.

According to the source, the military came to consult with representatives of Venezuela on military-technical
cooperation.

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27/3/2019 Donald Trump says 'Russia has to get out' of Venezuela - CNNPolitics

The source noted that "there is nothing mysterious" because the arrival of the planes is directly related to the
implementation of contracts that were signed by the parties many years ago, RIA Novosti reported.

But the Trump administration sees things di erently.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday and called on
Russia "to cease its unconstructive behavior" in Venezuela, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in
a statement.

The United States "will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela," the statement said.

"The continued insertion of Russian military personnel to support the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in
Venezuela risks prolonging the su ering of the Venezuelan people who overwhelmingly support interim President
Juan Guaido," the statement said.

CNN's Ralph Ellis and Bianca Britton contributed to this report.

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