Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday vowed to expand military cooperation with the country’s allies, noting that Moscow is ready to offer them its most advanced weapons.
Speaking at the opening of an annual arms show outside Moscow that caters to foreign customers, Putin said that Russia’s arms exports play an important role in the development of a “multipolar word,” the term used by the Kremlin to describe its efforts to offset what it perceives as U.S. global domination.
Putin hailed the Russian military’s action in Ukraine, which has triggered massive Western sanctions, and thanked Moscow’s allies for their support.
“We highly appreciate that we have many allies, partners and people who share our thinking on various continents,” he said.
Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine has been widely condemned as a breach of international law, said leaders of Moscow’s allies “choose a sovereign, independent course of development and want to collectively solve the issues of global and regional security on the basis of international law, shared responsibility and mutual interests, thus contributing to upholding multipolar world.”
Putin didn’t name any country in particular, but noted that “Russia sincerely values its historically strong, friendly and trusting relations with countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa.”
“We are ready to offer our allies and partners the most advanced types of weapons: from firearms, armor and artillery to warplanes and drones.” the Russian leader said.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla tests positive for Covid with mild symptoms
The CEO is one of many people who have contracted Covid despite receiving full vaccination and boosting. The mutating coronavirus has continually found ways to at least partially evade immunity induced by shots and previous infections, although usually causing milder cases.
-
China holds more military drills as US lawmakers meet Taiwanese president
China has carried out fresh military drills near self-governed Taiwan in response to the ongoing visit of US lawmakers to the island as high tension, sparked earlier this month by the visit of US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to Taipei, continues in the Taiwan Strait. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and says official ties between the island and another country is a violation of the mainland’s sovereignty.
-
-
Deposed Myanmar leader Suu Kyi sentenced to 6 more years in prison
Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to six more years in prison on Monday in a judgment that could further anger supporters of the 77-year-old Nobel peace prize laureate. It’s the fourth round of criminal verdicts against Suu Kyi since the military seized power in a 2021 coup and brings her total jail term to 17 years, extinguishing any chance of her staging a political comeback while the junta remain in power.
-
On completion of one year in power, Taliban says, “This day is the day of…”
The Taliban marked a year in power on Monday with small-scale celebrations by the group’s fighters as Afghanistan struggles with rising poverty, drought, malnutrition and fading hope among women that they will have a decisive role in the country’s future. “This day is the day of the victory of truth over falsehood and the day of salvation and freedom of the Afghan nation,” said Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement.