Caracas: Russia may count on Venezuelan support amid the threats coming from NATO and the Western countries, President Nicolas Maduro said. “Russia has the whole support of Venezuela to face the threats coming from NATO and the Western world in order to remain the territory of peace,” Maduro said on late Wednesday during the meeting with the Russian governmental delegation.
The Venezuelan leader expressed a belief that Russia would manage to protect its national interests through the diplomacy of peace. Western countries continue to allege that Russia is preparing an attack against Ukraine, citing a troop buildup on the border. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Tuesday that Moscow was withdrawing some of its forces from the border with Ukraine.
On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Russian President Vladimir Putin that some drills with Belarus had ended while others were going on as planned. The joint Russia-Belarus drills are expected to finish up on Sunday. Russia has consistently denied any plans to invade Ukraine, stressing that its own security is jeopardized by NATO’s increasing presence near Russian borders.
