A senior Russian diplomat has revealed that his country is to supply Egypt with military equipment worth $2bn, Russian News Agency Novosti has reported. Speaking at the London Institute for International Relations, The Russian president’s envoy for African affairs, Mikhail Margelov, said that Russia and Egypt are to lay a legal foundation to resume military cooperation.
“Russia is going to export military equipment to Egypt worth $2bn as well as develop economic cooperation,” added Margelov. The diplomat asserted that Russia is ready to cooperate with the Arab states whose rulers were ousted by the Arab Spring.
Asked about Russia’s objectives for such moves, Margelov replied that the policy towards North African and the Middle East reflects the principles of its foreign policy, “which is to reinforce peace, security and democratisation of the global order”.
According to the envoy, Russian foreign policy is based on international efforts to solve international disputes and make the law predominant. It also aims to reinforce the central role of the UN. He stressed that Moscow is opposed to regime change by external interference.