Russia will stay in Venezuela 'as long as needed' (2) Venezuela is "not a province of the United States" says spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova after announcing Russian troops will stay in Venezuela "for as long as needed", rejecting US President Donald Trump's demand that Russia remove its military from the crisis-stricken country. Russia's weekend deployment of troops and equipment to bolster President Nicolas Maduro has ratcheted up already high international tensions over Venezuela where the Trump administration is pushing for regime change. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES of spokeswoman for Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova