Secretary of State Marco Rubio is weighing in on Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas peace efforts and defending the Trump administration’s increasing military pressure on Venezuela during a rare, end-of-

Experts say that Russian and Chinese support for Venezuela has largely dried up, with no prospect of real military or financial aid.

Oil rose from a four-and-a-half-year low after the US signaled tougher measures against Russia to spur a peace deal in Ukraine and declared a blockade of Venezuelan oil exports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reaffirmed his support to Venezuela in a phone call with long-time ally President Nicolas Maduro in the

Oil futures added modestly to gains with market focus on efforts toward a Russia-Ukraine peace agreement and stepped up U.S. actions against Venezuela.

The Venezuela blockade could affect 600,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil exports, mostly to China, but 160,000 bpd of exports to the U.S. would likely continue, ING said. Chevron vessels were continuing to depart for the U.S. under a previous authorisation from the U.S. government.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday demanded that the Trump administration explain why Venezuela’s oil tanker was seized by U.S. forces. “I really hope that the United

A new U.S.-ordered blockade on sanctioned tankers threatens Venezuela's critical supply of Russian naphtha diluent, putting the South American country's crude oil exports and production at serious risk.

Oil prices slumped below $60 a barrel this week as investors try to make sense of U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to end the war in Ukraine and force out Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.