The Algerian president and his Russian counterpart spoke on the phone and the date of Tebboune's visit to Moscow was decided

Algeria-Russia: Tebboune says his meeting with Putin will be a success

photo_camera PHOTO/FABIAN SOMMER - Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi before the group photo of the international conference on Libya at the Federal Chancellery on 19 January 2020

Algeria and Russia are strategic partners who have enjoyed harmony and a certain stability since the Cold War. This explains why Algiers has become Moscow's third largest arms client over the last decade. Abdelmadjid Tebboune's expected visit coincides with another meeting of the Algerian president in France, which shows Algeria's desire to show a state of moderation in the relationship between the two parties. A communiqué from the Algerian presidency said that 'Presidents Tebboune and Putin held a telephone call, during which they discussed the bilateral relations that unite the two countries, especially the prospects for cooperation in the energy field'. 

The communiqué adds that the two presidents discussed the upcoming meeting of the Algerian-Russian Grand Joint Committee, and also agreed on a state visit to the Russian Federation in May. Russia is Algeria's most important military ally and its main supplier of armaments and military systems. In the last three years alone, the North African country has imported more than 80% of its equipment from Russia and has been a regular participant in the Kremlin's military exercises, most recently in September last year in eastern Russia, known as Vostok 2022.

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Relations between the two countries have been further strengthened under Putin's presidency with the common desire to consolidate the strategic partnership between the two states and renewed with the arrival of Tebboune to power in 2019. The contact between the two presidents followed a meeting between the two countries' industry ministers in the Algerian capital, where they discussed ways to support and develop industrial cooperation and the North African country. The two countries aim to conclude an in-depth strategic partnership agreement in the short term, according to Russian diplomatic sources. 

They confirmed that the memoranda are also expected to be expanded to include many important and strategic sectors, such as nuclear energy and military industries. The rapprochement in recent months between Algeria and European countries, as well as successive visits by US officials, gave the impression that Western pressures had succeeded in neutralising Algeria in the Russian sphere, especially after the signing of agreements to pump additional quantities of gas to European markets seeking to wean themselves off dependence on Russia while supplying their energy needs. 

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From Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recently commented that the West is engaged in a dragnet operation against Russia in the Arab world. Indirectly, the Russian diplomat made it clear that Algeria is more than a support for Moscow, suggesting that they are betting on the region to create new balances in the world. Algeria, which is expected to be the new host of the 2023 summit of gas exporting countries, does not rule out Putin being one of the main personalities attending the council. The meeting will discuss the intention to continue cooperation in the energy market within the OPEC+ framework. 

In Europe it was believed that Algeria was no longer a reliable partner for the Russians, as it took the opportunity of the Ukrainian crisis to pump more gas to European markets, in particular Italy, which provided an opportunity for Westerners to gradually wean themselves off Russian hydrocarbons despite Algeria's repeated claims that its position is what it is, as its economy is ultra-dependent on gas exports. Another concern for the Western bloc is Russia's direct influence over Western Sahara due to its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. This is noteworthy given the political confrontation between Algeria and Morocco over the status of the Saharawi territory. 

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