Venezuela’s Maduro gives his take on Russia-Ukraine conflict
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused US and NATO countries of destabilizing Eastern Europe and launching a campaign of lies and disinformation regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Maduro made his comments on Tuesday in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a Kremlin readout of their conversation. Putin shared his assessment of Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, emphasizing that Moscow’s goal is to protect civilians in the Donbass region and secure Kiev’s recognition of the Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People’s Republics, as well as Russian sovereignty over Crimea.
Putin said Russia aims to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine’s government, reiterating a key point made when he announced the military operation last week. Moscow also seeks to ensure that Kiev won’t join NATO or obtain nuclear weapons.
Maduro praised Russia’s “decisive actions” and emphasized the importance of countering disinformation on the Ukraine crisis. Western leaders and media outlets have accused Russia of trying to swallow up Ukraine by starting an “unnecessary” fight. Some of the imagery being posted online and purporting to show the current conflict was circulating on the internet years ago.
The Venezuelan president called for strengthening his country’s strategic partnership with Russia and pushing forward with joint projects. The two leaders agreed to continue making contacts and exchanging delegations at various levels of their governments.
