The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, today arrived in Moscow on his latest arms-buying spree, saying that his country needed to buy more weapons to defend itself from the United States.Chávez met Russia's president Dmitry Medvedev this morning. He is expected to sign a billion-dollar arms deal with Russia for new missile defence systems and diesel-powered submarines."I have great hopes we will be able to continue building our strategic alliance," Chávez said after landing in Moscow for a two-day trip. He added: "The deals will guarantee the sovereignty of Venezuela which is being threatened by the United States."Chávez's latest visit to Moscow - his sixth - is likely to irritate Washington. It comes at a time when relations between Russia and the US are already under strain over a host of issues.
The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, today arrived in Moscow on his latest arms-buying spree, saying that his country needed to buy more weapons to defend itself from the United States.
Chávez met Russia's president Dmitry Medvedev this morning. He is expected to sign a billion-dollar arms deal with Russia for new missile defence systems and diesel-powered submarines.
"I have great hopes we will be able to continue building our strategic alliance," Chávez said after landing in Moscow for a two-day trip.
He added: "The deals will guarantee the sovereignty of Venezuela which is being threatened by the United States."
Chávez's latest visit to Moscow - his sixth - is likely to irritate Washington. It comes at a time when relations between Russia and the US are already under strain over a host of issues.
During the meeting, Putin accepted an invitation from Chavez to visit Venezuela. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with Chavez earlier in the day for talks focusing on arms and energy deals. On arriving in Moscow, Chavez called for Russia and Venezuela to become strategic partners in oil and defense, something he said would "guarantee Venezuela's sovereignty, which is currently being threatened by the United States." Venezuela has bought over 50 combat helicopters, 24 Su-30MK2 fighters, and 100,000 AK-103 rifles from Russia, and also holds a license for their production. The current contracts are worth about $4 billion. Moscow plans to start supplying Venezuela with at least ten Mi-28N helicopters in the second half of 2009. The two countries have also negotiated the delivery of three Russian Project 636 Kilo-class diesel submarines and at least 20 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Caracas. Contracts for these two deals, if signed, may be worth another $1 billion.
During the meeting, Putin accepted an invitation from Chavez to visit Venezuela.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with Chavez earlier in the day for talks focusing on arms and energy deals.
On arriving in Moscow, Chavez called for Russia and Venezuela to become strategic partners in oil and defense, something he said would "guarantee Venezuela's sovereignty, which is currently being threatened by the United States."
Venezuela has bought over 50 combat helicopters, 24 Su-30MK2 fighters, and 100,000 AK-103 rifles from Russia, and also holds a license for their production. The current contracts are worth about $4 billion.
Moscow plans to start supplying Venezuela with at least ten Mi-28N helicopters in the second half of 2009.
The two countries have also negotiated the delivery of three Russian Project 636 Kilo-class diesel submarines and at least 20 Tor-M1 air defense missile systems to Caracas. Contracts for these two deals, if signed, may be worth another $1 billion.
course, having the support of russia is helpful, and it gives Gazprom an in to another strategic supplier, which seems to be russia's foreign policy priority right now. So we'll see. keep to the Fen Causeway
So Chavez needs to shop elsewhere. Why is the US irritated? A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
