© Provided by Agencia EFE
Caracas, March 1 (EFE) .- President Nicolás Maduro ratified on Monday, in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his “firm support” for the Eurasian country and his condemnation of NATO’s “destabilizing” actions and from the US, the Russian Embassy in Venezuela reported on Tuesday.
“At the Venezuelan initiative, Presidents Vladimir Putin and Nicolás Maduro had a telephone conversation (…) Maduro expressed his strong support for Russia, condemned the destabilizing activities of the US and NATO and underlined the importance of countering the campaign of lies and disinformation unleashed by Western countries,” the diplomatic mission wrote on Facebook.
The information, also replicated on Twitter by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Félix Plasencia, detailed that Putin shared with Maduro “his assessments of the events around Ukraine” and stressed that the objective of the “special military operation” is the “protection of the civilians in Donbas”.
In addition, the embassy indicated that Putin explained to Maduro that among the objectives of the military operation is also “the recognition by Kiev of the Republic of Donetsk and the Republic of Luhansk, as well as Russian sovereignty over Crimea, the demilitarization and denazification of the Ukrainian state, guaranteeing its neutral and non-nuclear status”.
The leaders of both countries discussed current issues related to the development of “the Russian-Venezuelan strategic alliance and the advances in the execution of joint projects,” added the source, who assured that, in addition, “it was agreed to continue with the exchange of delegations and contacts at various levels”.
Although the information has been replicated by several officials of the Venezuelan State, so far the authorities of the Caribbean country have not offered further details of the conversation between the leaders.
For his part, the Russian ambassador to Venezuela, Sergey Mélik, thanked Venezuela for its support, after the call.
“We appreciate the support of sister Venezuela. We will win!” The Russian official wrote on his Twitter account.
After months of tensions, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine six days ago that has left more than a hundred dead, according to the UN, although the Ukrainian authorities put the death toll at more than 350.
Meanwhile, last Thursday, the Government of Venezuela made a call “to return to the path of diplomatic understanding” in the face of the crisis generated in Ukraine after the military operation.
“Venezuela calls for a return to the path of diplomatic understanding through effective dialogue between the parties involved in the conflict to avoid escalation,” the Executive said in a statement released by President Maduro.
(c) EFE Agency