MOSCOW, October 3. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will set off for a visit to Russia in the coming hours to take part in an international energy forum and meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the Spanish EFE news agency reported on Tuesday.
"In [several hours] I’ll fly upon the invitation by Russian President Vladimir Putin. I’m heading for the international energy forum. Venezuela has a special invitation [for this event] in Moscow and St. Petersburg," Maduro said.
The 'Russian Energy Week' Energy Efficiency and Energy Development International Forum is due on October 3-7.
The president stressed that during the visit "he will hold a very important working meeting" with Putin to discuss cooperation "in financial, technological and military areas between Russia and Venezuela." Maduro assured that the upcoming talks would serve to deepen bilateral relations.
The Venezuelan leader said he also plans to visit the neighboring Belarus to discuss cooperation in housing construction, industrial development and trade with Minsk in the framework of a joint commission.
During the tour, Maduro will also pay a visit to Turkey to chair an intergovernmental commission, which is aimed at "enhancing bilateral cooperation in financial, energy, agro-industrial and military fields."
Over the past months, Venezuelan officials have stated many times that they plan to step up partnership with their allies, namely Russia, China and India. This comes amid the US financial sanctions against Caracas, which dealt a heavy blow to the South American country.