Russia’s FM Lavrov meets Algeria leader to deepen thick ties

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with the president of Algeria and marked 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Algeria’s official APS news agency said Lavrov transmitted an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin for Algeria’s leader, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to visit Moscow. Russia has long furnished Algeria with military hardware, and Lavrov expressed Russia’s satisfaction on Tuesday with “the confidence placed in us.” Gas-rich Algeria is in a delicate position regarding its longstanding ties to Russia. Countries looking to reduce their reliance on Russian energy amid the war in Ukraine are increasingly looking to the North African nation. Lavrov praised Algeria for its “balanced and objective” position on the war.