A vendor holds Venezuelan Bolivar notes and waits for customers at a street stand in Caracas, Venezuela, January 28, 2019. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia expects Venezuela to make its next scheduled debt repayment to Moscow on schedule at the end of March, the Russian Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday, hours after one of its top officials said he expected Caracas to struggle with repayments.

Russia’s deputy finance minister said earlier on Tuesday that he expected Venezuela to have problems repaying its debts to Moscow in comments made after Washington imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state oil firm.

The finance ministry issued a separate statement later on Tuesday, saying it still expected a payment of over $100 million to be made on time.

“No changes in the agreement have been introduced and correspondingly Venezuela must fulfill the obligations it has taken upon itself to the creditor,” the ministry said.