The Russian Foreign Minister Serguéi Lavrov demanded at the UN General Assembly the "immediate release" of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who have been in custody in the United States since January 3, 2026, and also called for the lifting of the embargo on Cuba and all trade restrictions against the island.
In his intervention at the 81st session of the UN on September 26, Lavrov described the capture of Maduro as "a violation of any norm, including moral standards," and argued that international law "directly prescribes the observance of the immunities of high-ranking state officials."
"At the beginning of this year, the United States, in violation of all norms including moral ones, invaded Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, subjecting them to extrajudicial detention in a U.S. prison. We insist and demand the swift release of the Venezuelan leader and his wife," said Lavrov.
Regarding Cuba, the head of Russian diplomacy denounced the "desperate humanitarian situation" on the island and pointed out that the Cuban regime is facing "unprecedented pressure" from Washington, urging for the lifting of the embargo "by sea and all trade restrictions" with Havana.
The speech by Lavrov took place during a week filled with diplomatic tensions surrounding Cuba and Venezuela in the context of the General Assembly.
Donald Trump had described Cuba as an "absolutely failed state" before the assembly, which led to the withdrawal of the Cuban delegation from the room, and boasted about the capture of Maduro as one of his greatest achievements.
One day after Trump's remarks, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla met with Lavrov in New York on the sidelines of the General Assembly, in a meeting focused on the state of bilateral relations between Cuba and Russia, according to diplomatic sources.
Notable was also the contrast between the Russian stance and that of the Venezuelan government itself. The interim president Delcy Rodríguez spoke before the plenary that week with a speech on elections and "democratic transformation," in which she made no mention of Maduro.
Russia condemned the U.S. operation from the very beginning. On January 3, 2026, it labeled it a "violent act of aggression" and backed Delcy Rodríguez as the acting president just a few days later.
In the same speech before the UN, Lavrov referred to the Palestinian conflict. "The time has come to ensure a state for the Palestinian people," he stated.
The Russian chancellor accused Europe of "doing everything possible to obstruct a peaceful resolution and undermine the possibility of negotiations" regarding Ukraine, in which he stated there are "many interested parties, including the Trump Administration."
Lavrov also warned that if the situation in the Palestinian territories continues on its current course, "establishing a Palestinian state will be impossible, as there simply won't be any space for it." In his view, "Israel's security will always be under threat."
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