HAVANA, November 29. /TASS/. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called Russian President Vladimir Putin an emblem of struggle for the mutlipolar world. 

He praised the Russian president during a brief meeting with the speaker of Russia's State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, on the sidelines of solemn ceremonies in Havana on the occasion of the death of Fidel Castro.

"Putin's victories are our victories," Maduro said. "We're all looking towards Putin. For us, he is an emblem of fighting for independence and multipolar world."

He asked Volodin to convey wishes of sound health to Putin.

Representing Russia alongside Volodin at the solemn events on the occasion of Fidel’s death are Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, First Deputy Speaker of the Duma Ivan Melnikov, chairman of the Duma foreign policy committee Leonid Slutsky, first deputy chairman of the same committee Dmitry Novikov, and a member of the committee, Sergei Zheleznyak.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian delegation laid flowers at the Jose Marti memorial compound in Havana that has become the main place to paying tribute to Fidel.

The itinerary of Volodin’s visit also includes a meeting with the President of Cuba’s National Assembly, Esteban Lazo Fernandez and an address to the audiences at a solemn meeting.

The delegation will then return to Moscow where President Vladimir Putin is expected to read out an annual state-of-the-nation address to members of both houses of Russian parliament.