President Donald Trump said on Monday that it would be a "wise choice" for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down, as the U.S. Navy tightens its blockade on the South American nation's oil resources.

However, Russia, a key ally of Venezuela, expressed its "full support" for the Maduro government, amid escalating military operations and threats from Washington against Caracas.

When asked by reporters at his Florida home if Washington's threats were aimed at ousting Maduro, who has been in power for 12 years, Trump replied, "That's up to him. It would be a wise choice to do that."

However, he added, "If he tries to do anything -- if he tries to be tough, that will be the last thing he ever does tough."

The early pledge from Moscow, which is also embroiled in the war in Ukraine, came on Tuesday, the day before a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the escalating crisis.

The allied foreign ministers strongly condemned the U.S. actions in a phone call, including attacks on ships suspected of drug trafficking and the recent seizure of two oil tankers.

AFP quoted U.S. officials as saying that a third vessel was also being tracked on Sunday.

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated about the call between Minister Sergey Lavrov and Venezuelan Minister Yvan Gil that "the ministers expressed deep concern that Washington's actions in the Caribbean are escalating, which could have serious consequences for the region and threaten international shipping."

The Russian side added in a statement, "The Russian side reaffirmed its full support and solidarity with the Venezuelan leadership and people in the current situation."

Under Trump's direction, the U.S. military began attacking ships it claimed were involved in drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific since September.

More than 100 people have died, some of whom, families and governments claim, were fishermen.

Last week, Trump also announced a blockade on "sanctioned oil tankers" to and from Venezuela.

Trump claims that Caracas, under the Maduro regime, uses its oil revenues to fund "drug terrorism, human trafficking, murder, and kidnappings."

He also accused Venezuela of "taking all of our oil," apparently referring to the nationalization of the country's oil sector, and said, "we want it back."

In response, Caracas accused Washington of attempting a regime change and called Washington "international piracy."

According to the Moscow statement, Lavrov and Gil agreed in their phone call to "coordinate their actions on the international stage, especially at the UN."

Russia and China, other allies of Venezuela, supported a UN Security Council meeting requested by Caracas, urging discussion of "the ongoing acts of aggression by the United States."

According to AFP, Venezuelan Minister Gil said on Telegram that he and Minister Lavrov discussed "acts of aggression and violations of international law being committed in the Caribbean: attacks on ships, extrajudicial executions, and illegal piracy carried out by the U.S. government."

Gil stated that Lavrov confirmed "Moscow's full support against the hostile actions against our country."

Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed Moscow's expression of support for Caracas.

He said, "The United States is not concerned about escalating conflicts with Russia over Venezuela, because Russia is already stretched thin with the Ukraine issue."

U.S.-Russia relations have deteriorated in recent weeks, with President Trump expressing his dissatisfaction with Moscow over the lack of a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine.

Gil also read out a letter signed by President Maduro and sent to UN member states on state television on Monday, warning that U.S. blockade measures would "affect oil and energy supplies" globally.

By NNP Chief Reporter Sung Ku Hong / Special Correspondent for this paper NNP info@newsandpost.com