Russia's Rosneft violating U.S. sanctions by buying oil from Venezuela, says Pompeo

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that Russia's Rosneft was defying U.S. sanctions by buying oil from Venezuela's state-owned oil company and helping President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Speaking to reporters, Pompeo said Russia and Cuba had helped create the crisis in Venezuela.

"Russia's state-owned oil company, Rosneft, continues to purchase crude oil cargoes from PDVSA, Venezuela's state-owned oil company, in defiance of U.S. sanctions. And Rosneft's CEO, Igor Sechin, continues to throw a lifeline to the regime," Pompeo said. 

(With inputs from agencies.)