Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday hailed his nation's "indestructible ties" with Russia during a meeting with Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a BRICS summit.
Maduro expressed his "admiration" of Russia for its "battle against Nazism," an allusion to the conflict in Ukraine, according to footage broadcast by Venezuelan television from the Russian city of Kazan.
"You have been able to lead the Russian people on all fronts of the global battle, on economic, scientific, cultural, military, political and diplomatic levels," added Maduro, whose country would like to join BRICS.
Starting in 2009 with four members – Brazil, Russia, India and China – BRICS has expanded to include other emerging nations such as South Africa, Egypt and Iran.
Maduro said the two countries had built "indestructible ties, political and moral ties that have been put to the test over all these years."
Putin told Maduro that Venezuela was a "reliable partner" for Moscow.
The South American nation has long been a key ally of Russia. Late president Hugo Chávez backed Moscow during the war in Georgia in 2008.
Maduro has repeatedly expressed his support for Russia and Putin, both before and after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in 2022.
Moscow has supported Caracas in the face of sanctions imposed by the United States in an unsuccessful attempt to dislodge Maduro from power.
Putin also supported Maduro in July at the time of his contested re-election, which much of the international community refused to recognise.
– TIMES/AFP
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