Maduro and Putin discuss world oil prices

January 16, 2015 | 11:00

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Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro discussed world oil prices at a meeting in Moscow on Thursday (Jan 15), Putin's spokesman said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) welcomes his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro before their meeting focused on world oil markets at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow. (AFP/Pavel Golovkin)

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro discussed world oil prices at a meeting in Moscow on Thursday (Jan 15), Putin's spokesman said.

At the talks, "the situation on the world oil markets was discussed in detail," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Interfax news agency.

Venezuela, a major oil producer like Russia, is suffering from the sharp decline in oil prices with its budget under strain. It has said it is willing to cut oil production to support prices.

Maduro on Sunday visited Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter, to discuss low world crude prices. The socialist leader has also visited China, Venezuela's largest investor and second-largest oil customer.

Putin and Maduro "spoke in favour of intensifying joint projects in various areas, including energy," Peskov said.

Putin called Venezuela a "very close partner, one of our leading partners in Latin America," the Kremlin said in a statement. Maduro in turn was quoted by the Kremlin as confirming Venezuela's "solidarity with the Russian people."

AFP

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