Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov publicly expressed discontent over Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s decision to steer clear of engagements with longstanding allies during the High-Level Week of the United Nations General Assembly, which took place in New York from September 22 to 28.
During a press briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Alimov was clear in his grievances: "We observed a lack of certain interactions. Venezuela's acting president did not meet with the Russian Federation, nor with China, Cuba, or Nicaragua. She departed earlier, citing certain reasons for doing so."
This Russian complaint arises amidst a significant diplomatic reshuffle by the interim Venezuelan government, which chose to engage with Western nations rather than reinforcing its ties with the Moscow-Beijing-Havana-Managua axis during the same week in New York.
The most notable shift was Delcy Rodríguez's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the General Assembly, a meeting she described as "historic."
In her address to the U.N. General Assembly on September 23, Rodríguez pledged elections in Venezuela, spoke of "full democracy," and called for dialogue with opposition sectors, notably omitting any mention of Nicolás Maduro or the Bolivarian Revolution.
This omission, coupled with her outreach to Washington, provoked swift reactions from Caracas's traditional allies. Cuban Minister of Economy and Planning Joaquín Alonso Vázquez labeled Rodríguez a "traitor" in a Facebook post, which was subsequently deleted.
The contrast with Cuba's stance was stark: Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on September 23, an encounter described by Cuba's Foreign Ministry as a discussion on the "excellent state" of bilateral relations between Havana and Moscow.
Lavrov, who led the Russian delegation after Washington denied a visa to Alimov — a decision Moscow condemned as an "unfriendly act" — held over forty meetings on the sidelines of the General Assembly, including a dialogue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Lavrov publicly demanded Maduro's release and called for the lifting of the embargo on Cuba during the high-level week, underscoring Moscow's steadfast positions while Caracas appears to chart a different course.
The rift between Russia and the interim Venezuelan government is not a recent development: since January 2026, following Maduro's capture by U.S. forces, the Kremlin had already indicated that President Putin did not plan any imminent contact with Rodríguez.
Key Questions on Venezuela's Diplomatic Shift
Why did Delcy Rodríguez avoid meeting with traditional allies?
Delcy Rodríguez chose to prioritize engagement with Western nations over meetings with traditional allies like Russia, China, Cuba, and Nicaragua during the U.N. General Assembly.
How did Cuba react to Rodríguez's diplomatic stance?
Cuba's reaction was negative, with Economy Minister Joaquín Alonso Vázquez calling Rodríguez a "traitor," although he later removed the comment from Facebook.