Lavrov slams US restrictions on Russian oil operations in Venezuela as discriminatory
Lavrov criticized new US rules excluding Russian firms from Venezuela's oil sector as blatant discrimination. Moscow is seeking clarification from Washington.
The U.S. 
US Treasury Department announced on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, that it has issued a general license intended to facilitate the exploration and production of oil and gas in Venezuela 
VE. However, the newly released authorization includes specific provisions that do not authorize any transactions involving Russian 
RU or Chinese 
CN nationals or entities. This policy-driven development has already prompted an official diplomatic response from Moscow, as the license explicitly limits which foreign actors are permitted to participate in the Venezuelan oil and gas sector.
US Treasury Department announced on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, that it has issued a general license intended to facilitate the exploration and production of oil and gas in Venezuela VE. However, the newly released authorization includes specific provisions that do not authorize any transactions involving Russian RU or Chinese CN nationals or entities. This policy-driven development has already prompted an official diplomatic response from Moscow, as the license explicitly limits which foreign actors are permitted to participate in the Venezuelan oil and gas sector.Following the announcement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the restrictions "blatant discrimination." Moscow said it would seek clarification about the license, with the Kremlin indicating its intent to understand the specific exclusions. These measures directly affect the authorization for participation in energy projects, effectively barring Russian and Chinese interests from the scope of the new general license.
