The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, on Tuesday accused the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of wanting to “finish” Russia by military means, and reaffirmed all his support for the Eurasian country in the crisis with Ukraine.
“We have been closely watching the events in Russia, in Ukraine, observing not just now, the evolution of the process where the North American empire and NATO intend by military means to end with Russia, stop Russia and put an end to this multipolar world that is already a reality”, said the president in a ceremony broadcast by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).
Maduro reaffirmed “all the support” for Russian President Vladimir Putin in defense of the “peace” of Russia, the region and “its people”.
“The territory of Luhansk and Donetsk assumed the functions of republics to defend themselves from a massacre that the fascist sectors that had seized power in Ukraine began to execute by hunting men, assaulting families, bombing, with heavy weapons, and a very harsh conflict began,” he added, although he did not clarify whether he recognizes these provinces as independent nations.
Nicolas Maduro with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borísov. (Photo: Federico Parra / AFP / Getty Images)The Russia-Ukraine conflict raises tensions
On Monday, Putin recognized the independence of the self-proclaimed separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine, and ordered the deployment of soldiers to those territories, which has triggered international rejection and the announcement of sanctions.
“I consider it necessary to make a decision that has been taking its own weight for a long time: immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic”, said the Russian president in a televised speech lasting almost an hour.
For his part, Maduro maintained that in all the “stages of the conflict” the diplomacy of the Russian president has always been present, but that the “right extremist that has won the Ukrainian governments has never been interested in resolving the c conflicts through dialogue, has never been interested in respecting Russia”.
“They have preferred to join to the plans of aggression against Russia, that is what is happening there and President Putin has been denouncing (…) that they intend to surround Russia, point all NATO weapons at Russia so that at some point when the conditions arise, they can attack and destroy Russia and what does the world want”, he added.
Venezuela will cooperate militarily with Russia
Last 17 of February, Maduro ratified that his country is on “the path of a powerful military cooperation” with Russia, after a meeting with the deputy prime minister of that country, Yuri Borísov.
“We have ratified the path of a powerful military cooperation between Russia and Venezuela for the defense of peace, sovereignty, territorial integrity, a powerful military cooperation,” said the president in a statement at the presidential palace of Miraflores.
Without giving details, he said that the minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino, “has precise instructions”, as well as “the entire higher staff”.
“We are going to increase all preparation, training and cooperation plans with a world military power such as Russia. Our ties are deep and historical”, he stressed.
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