Russia’s foreign minister says the country’s arms sales to Venezuela are meant for defensive purposes.

Russia has stepped up ties with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and is sending a naval squadron to Venezuela for exercises next month in a show of force near the United States. Russia has sold Venezuela weapons worth more than $4 billion since 2005 and announced a $1 billion credit for arms purchases last month.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke Tuesday after a meeting in Moscow with Venezuela’s foreign minister.

Lavrov also told a state-run newspaper that Russia and Venezuela have no plans to attack anybody, suggesting a joint attack on the United States was “unimaginable.”