Lavrov plans multi-stop Latin America trip to expand cooperation

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov plans to visit Latin America by the end of April against the backdrop of Moscow's war against Ukraine to forge anti-Western alliances.

He plans to visit Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, he wrote in an article for Brazilian and Cuban media published by the Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Thursday.

Russia advocates strengthening Russian-Latin American cooperation "based on mutual support, solidarity and consideration for each other's interests," the article said.

"We are ... open to expanding cooperation on a multilateral basis, primarily as part of Russia's dialogue with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States," Lavrov wrote.

Last year, Russian exports of wheat to the region increased by 48.8% and shipments of fertilizers and petroleum products also increased, Lavrov pointed out.

Russia is eager to forge alliances in other parts of the world in the face of isolation and sanctions by the West in the wake of the Ukraine war.

Lavrov himself repeatedly points out, with regard to Russia's contacts on the African continent, in Asia and India, that the country still has many friends regardless of the conflict with Ukraine. This trip is intended to underline this.