Karina Bovsunovskaya18:02, 21.01.25

Moscow hopes that the parties “will respect the current international legal regime of this key waterway.”

Russia has called on the new US President Donald Trump not to even think about seizing the Panama Canal . In particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the Panama Canal legally belongs to Panama, so they warned the US against trying to get it back by any means, Politico writes .

“We expect that during the expected discussions between the leadership of Panama and US President Donald Trump on issues of control over the Panama Canal… the parties will respect the current international legal regime of this key waterway. Russia […] confirms its commitment to maintaining the permanent neutrality of the Panama Canal, advocating for keeping this international transit waterway safe and open,” said Alexander Shchetinin, Director of the Latin American Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

According to him, the United States has “no right to interfere in the internal affairs of Panama.”

At the same time, as is known, Russia itself launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Trump’s Statements on the Panama Canal

Recall that Trump has repeatedly threatened to seize the critical sea route that the United States handed over to Panama in 1977. In his inauguration speech, he emphasized:

“American ships are heavily overloaded… And first of all, China is exploiting the Panama Canal, and we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we are taking it back.”

At the same time, the Panamanian president responded to Trump’s encroachment on the Panama Canal. According to him, the canal is Panamanian and his administration will continue to remain under Panamanian control, maintaining permanent neutrality.

(C)UNIAN 2025