Venezuela's Maduro to meet Putin in Russia

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro left for Moscow late Monday ahead of an "important" meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

"Heading to Russia to hold an important work meeting with President Vladimir Putin," Maduro said on his Twitter account. "We will develop strategic issues for our countries within the framework of our Bolivarian Peace diplomacy and the construction of a multipolar world."

The Kremlin said the two leaders will meet in the Russian capital on Wednesday, according to the Interfax news agency.

Maduro said his meeting with Putin would allow him to close 2018 "with a flourish, in terms of strategic relations that Venezuela is building with the world." He added that he remained "in permanent contact" with the Russian leader.

Maduro has referred to Russia, which provides weapons, technology and other resources to Venezuela, as a "strategic ally."

Looking for help

The trip comes after the Venezuelan leftist leader hosted Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday in Caracas. The two leaders reached a series of agreements, including ones that formalized the cooperation between their countries' state-run oil companies.

The US and other European countries have sanctioned Maduro's administration, which Venezuela's opposition lawmakers have accused of being corrupt at the people's expense, in an attempt to pressure Venezuela to return to its diplomatic ways. The US refused to recognize the result of Venezuela's elections earlier this year, which saw Maduro elected to a second six-year term.

dv/rc (AFP, EFE, Reuters)