Venezuela's Maduro to visit Russia in May, meet with Putin: Lavrov
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Putin had invited Maduro to Moscow to attend the Victory Day celebrations, a national holiday observed in Russia and several former Soviet republics to commemorate Nazi Germany’s surrender in WWII.
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Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024 (Pool Photo via AP)
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is scheduled to visit Russia on May 9, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Saturday.
"We appreciate that President Maduro will be with us during the Victory Day," Lavrov stated during a meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
The top Russian diplomat said that during the visit, Maduro will have the opportunity to discuss various issues with Putin and sign a number of documents.
Putin had invited Maduro to Moscow to attend the Victory Day celebrations, a national holiday observed in Russia and several former Soviet republics to commemorate Nazi Germany’s surrender in World War II.
Every year on May 9, celebratory events are held in Moscow’s Red Square to mark the occasion.
Russia, Venezuela agree on strategic partnership, cooperation
In mid-March, Putin announced that Russia and Venezuela had agreed on a strategic partnership and cooperation deal.
In a meeting with Maduro via video conference, the Russian leader expressed pleasure that a "strategic partnership and cooperation agreement has been fully agreed upon, which will create a good, solid foundation for further expansion of multifaceted ties in the long term."
"It could be signed during your visit to Russia at a time convenient for you," he told his Venezuelan counterpart.
According to Putin, Russia-Venezuela ties are based on friendship, trust, and concern for each other's interests. He added that both nations hold similar viewpoints on many international problems.
Both countries strive for a more equitable international order and uphold the ideas of sovereign equality, the Russian president emphasized.
"Russia and Venezuela have similar positions on many issues on the international agenda. Together, we strive to create a more just world order, promote the principles of sovereign equality of states, and mutually beneficial cooperation without external interference in internal affairs," he explained.
On his part, Maduro said the two countries had taken their ties "to the highest level in several domains," including energy cooperation.
Maduro, Putin discuss energy, defense cooperation at BRICS
In late October 2024, the Venezuelan President said he held discussions with Putin regarding energy and defense industry cooperation during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
He pointed out that US-imposed sanctions on both Venezuela and Russia reflect the old world order, asserting that Western nations aim to dominate, restrict freedoms, leverage the dollar as a tool, and obstruct global progress.
Earlier, Putin said relations between Russia and Venezuela are improving.
He stated, during a meeting with Maduro on the sidelines of the BRICS conference, that "Venezuela is one of Russia's historical reliable partners in Latin America and the world as a whole. The relations of strategic partnership between our countries continue to strengthen."
Russia and Venezuela are working to create a new international order free of neocolonial methods, according to Putin, who also stated that Venezuela supports Russia amid a hybrid war fought against it.
The Russian leader also expressed support for Venezuela's bid to join BRICS.
Read more: Maduro welcomes Russia-US talks on Ukraine
