Moscow, Russia - Russia on Thursday called on President Donald Trump's administration not to make a "fatal mistake" by following through with its threats against Venezuela, calling for restraint and saying it was in "constant contact" with its ally Caracas.

The Republican ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers in Venezuela this week, marking a new escalation in his campaign to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

With Trump explicitly setting his sights on the Latin American country's natural reserves, Caracas has defiantly insisted its crude oil exports were not impacted by the announcement.

Maduro is a friend of the Kremlin's and has been a regular guest in Moscow for years.

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The Russian foreign ministry said it hoped the US would "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.

"We, of course, call on all countries of the region to show restraint in order to avoid any unpredictable development in the situation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

It is unclear how the blockade will play out, with US warships in the Caribbean.

In his announcement earlier this week, Trump also said "Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America," raising fears of a potential US intervention.

The Kremlin has in the past helped prop up Venezuela's struggling economy, which has been crippled by years of US sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed his support of Maduro in a phone call earlier this month.