The Russian foreign office announced on Tuesday that the Panama Canal legally belongs to Panama and cautioned the U.S. against any attempts to reassert control over it, whether militarily or economically.

They anticipate that in the upcoming dialogues between Panama’s leadership and U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the Panama Canal’s control, the existing international legal framework of this crucial waterway will be respected. Alexander Shchetinin, the head of the Russian foreign ministry’s Latin American department, made this statement as reported by Russian state media.

Shchetinin further emphasized on Russia’s commitment to maintaining the Panama Canal’s enduring neutrality, promoting the safety and accessibility of this international transit waterway. He also stated that the U.S. should not meddle in Panama’s internal affairs, despite Russia’s own history of invading neighboring Ukraine in the winter of 2022.

The Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, is a crucial trade route for the U.S. Approximately 40 percent of all U.S. container ships ply through it.

Last month, Trump’s initial threat towards the canal provoked a stern reaction from Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino. He declared his country’s sovereignty over the waterway as “non-negotiable.”

President Mulino firmly stated that every part of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belong to Panama and will continue to do so.

The article is designed to inform those interested in international affairs or potential investment opportunities, though its primary purpose is not to promote investment.