MOSCOW: Russia on Thursday called on Donald Trump’s administration not to make a “fatal mistake” in the Venezuela crisis, calling for restraint and saying it was in “constant contact” with its ally Caracas. US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers in Venezuela this week, marking a new escalation between Washington and the South American country led by leftist authoritarian Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela has insisted its crude oil exports were not impacted by the announcement, showing defiance. Maduro is a friend of the Kremlin’s and has been a regular guest in Moscow for years. Moscow’s foreign ministry said it hoped the White House will “not allow a fatal mistake and will refrain from further sliding into a situation that threatens unpredictable consequences for the entire Western hemisphere.” It called for a “de-escalation” and expressed support for Maduro’s government.