VENEZUELAN President Nicolas Maduro has laid the blame for the European refugee crisis at Washington’s door.

His comments came as governments pledged to take in tens of thousands of people fleeing war across the Middle East and north Africa.

Speaking to Russia Today TV at the close of his visit to China for the celebration of the second world war victory over Japan, he accused the US of fuelling the crisis.

The socialist president said: “It is Europe that has to deal with the disaster caused by the US, because it is Europe that is now taking in thousands of migrants and they don’t know how to cope with this situation.”

Referring to the Iraq war, Mr Maduro said: “By deception, they invaded the country that is a cradle of civilisation — and razed it the ground. Now is it literally split into thousands parts and engulfed by terrorism in its cruellest form.”

“Who bombed Libya?” he asked. “Who took the lives of more than 100,000 Libyans? Who is now bombing Syria? Who financed the terrorists that are now seeking to destroy it?”

“The US has caused a real disaster, chaos, and now it wants to cause chaos in other regions of the world.”

French President Francois Hollande said his country would accept 24,000 refugees, while Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott pledged to welcome 10,000.

Meanwhile, on the Greek island of Lesbos, two youths were arrested on Sunday for throwing petrol bombs at tents housing refugees in a local park.