The New York Times: What countries can Russia still count on after invading Ukraine
Chinese leader Xi Jinping's official visit to Moscow highlights the close ties between the two nations - an increasingly important relationship for Vladimir Putin, who is becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, writes The New York Times, quoted by Digi24.
Besides China, there are several other states that maintain good relations with Russia after it invaded Ukraine – some of them offer diplomatic or economic support to Moscow, while others offer military aid. Belarus, Russia's closest regional ally, has allowed the Kremlin leader to use its territory to attack Kiev. Another ally is India, which has maintained good relations with both Russia and Ukraine and is seen as a potential arbiter of the conflict. A large importer of crude oil, India has become a very important customer for Russia, especially after European countries reduced their dependence on Russian oil. Iran and Russia have grown even closer this year, integrating their banking systems. Tehran has also provided military aid to its ally, such as kamikaze drones that Moscow used to strike Ukrainian infrastructure. US officials have warned that the two countries are strengthening their military ties to the level of a "full-fledged defense partnership". North Korea supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine and blamed the US for triggering the conflict. For its part, Washington has accused the Pyongyang government of secretly sending millions of artillery shells and missiles to Russia. North Korea has denied the allegations. South Africa has had good relations with Russia for a long time and has increasingly relied on its alliance with Moscow in the past year, drawing criticism from the United States and European countries. Another country friendly to Russia is Syria. Damascus-based leader Bashar al-Assad, whom Russia helped keep in power, visited Moscow last week.
