Free Republic

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a Strategic Partnership Treaty with Venezuela on Monday, formalizing a broad cooperation agreement between the two countries that extends across political, economic, and security domains. The Kremlin said the treaty, first signed in Moscow on May 7, expands collaboration in energy, mining, transport, communications, and counterterrorism. The accord was ratified last week by both chambers of Russia's parliament and earlier this month by the Venezuelan National Assembly, followed by President Nicolás Maduro's signature on October 7. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called the simultaneous ratification "very important in the current situation," saying...