By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has received his Algerian counterpart President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Kremlin, where both leaders pledged to deepen their two countries’ “strategic partnership”.
This comes as Moscow seeks to court Asia and Africa following a strained relationship with the West after the invasion of Ukraine last year by Moscow.
The Algerian leader’s three-day state visit comes as Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine stretches into a second year.
“We are really happy to receive our friend, the President of Algeria, Mr. Tebboune, in the Kremlin,” Putin said after talks.
“Algeria is a key partner for us in the Arab world and in Africa,” he said, adding Russia wanted to ramp up energy and military ties.
The two leaders signed a declaration on “deep strategic partnership”, among other agreements.
The Kremlin plans a new Africa summit in July in Russia’s second city of Saint Petersburg and Putin repeatedly stressed he hoped to see Tebboune there.
“We will be glad to see you in Saint Petersburg”, Putin told Tebboune in televised remarks. “Relations with Algeria are of particular importance for our country.”
Tebboune said that Western pressure on Algeria would not have any impact.
“Foreign countries may put pressure on us today but this will never affect our ties,” he told Putin.
Both stressed the Soviet Union’s robust support for Algeria during and after its fight for independence from France.
“Our ties never changed,” Tebboune said. “Algeria has always supported Russia, he said in translated remarks.
“We must maintain our independence,” Tebboune said, adding Russia has been providing his North African country with weapons to help it “maintain our independence in these difficult circumstances.”
Tebboune is expected to visit France in June but the trip, initially planned for May, might reportedly be postponed again.
The French presidency said the two countries were discussing “a suitable date”.
