Russia asks US to stop 'blackmail' after new Venezuela sanctions

MOSCOW: Russia on Friday asked the United States to halt its "politics of blackmail" after Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza in a bid to pressure President Nicolas Maduro to quit.

"We exhort the United States to return to the realm of international law, end its politics of blackmail and stop provoking tensions in Venezuela from abroad," the foreign ministry said in a statement.