Russia and Venezuela agree to strengthen cooperation in the fields of nuclear energy and the oil and gas industry
After the foreign ministers met in Caracas, Russia and Venezuela, two countries hostile to the United States, announced their intention to strengthen cooperation in the oil and gas sector, as well as “the peaceful use of nuclear energy”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Venezuela from Cuba, as part of his tour of Latin America, as Moscow seeks to expand into new partnerships after imposing sanctions on it due to the crisis in Ukraine.
In Caracas, Lavrov met with his Venezuelan counterpart Ivan Gil and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, and the two discussed ways to enhance cooperation in multiple sectors including oil and gas, agriculture, medicine and pharmaceuticals.
Gill referred to expanding the scope of cooperation to include “the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” stressing agreement to increase the volume of cooperation in all the aforementioned fields.
Lavrov last visited Venezuela in April 2023, where he urged like-minded countries to intensify cooperation to counter Western sanctions.
Venezuela is a major ally of Russia, and President Nicolas Maduro has expressed his continued support for Russia, especially after the crisis in Ukraine and Western sanctions.
In the same context, Lavrov announced that relations between Russia and Venezuela are considered a “close strategic partnership,” stressing the mutual trust between the two countries.
At the same time, Lavrov warned against “blackmail and threats” by the United States and other countries, citing their desire to maintain global control.
Lavrov is scheduled to head to Brazil to participate in the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.
