Dialogue with Russia ongoing despite Ukraine war: Argentine President

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Jan 2023 09:27

The Argentine President says he did not stop communicating with his Russian counterpart.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez (AFP)

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez noted on Sunday that his country hasn’t severed dialogue with Russia despite the war in Ukraine.

"I didn’t stop talking to Putin, but we never supported the invasion. The last time I spoke with him, when he called me to congratulate me on Argentina’s victory in the Cup, I said again that it was necessary to sit down to resolve this issue. And I continued to make it clear that Argentina doesn’t support this invasion," Fernandez indicated in an interview for the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.

In early June 2022, Russian Ambassador to Buenos Aires, Dmitry Feoktistov, said Argentina is not joining sanctions against Russia and considers them illegitimate and unilateral.

However, Feoktistov pointed out that Argentina does not support Russia's special operation in Ukraine.

He indicated that "the country (Argentina) is seriously pressured today, like many others, by the United States and the collective West."

Recently, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro proposed creating a regional bloc between Latin American and Caribbean countries that have good relations with China and Russia, Russian news outlet RT reported in mid-January.

During his annual speech at the Venezuelan parliament, Maduro indicated that he recently spoke with Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and Argentine President Alberto Fernández about forming a new regional organization in this regard.