Address by the Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Compañero Vyacheslav Volodin,
during a Special Session of the National Assembly of Nicaragua
February 24, 2022
Beloved president of the National Assembly , Señor Porras; Compañeros and Compañeras, first of all I would like to thank you for this opportunity to speak before you, the representatives of the friendly people of the Republic of Nicaragua.
Great spaces, great distances do not stop us from sharing the same Spirit of understanding and support among Friends.
Nicaragua is one of Russia's steadfast partners and our countries reinforce our contacts on the basis of mutual respect and trust, guided too by the Principle of Non-Interference in the internal affairs of sovereign States.
The dynamic of our relations has been developed by the Presidents of Russia and Nicaragua, President Vladimir Putin and President Daniel Ortega. They decided to expand our Strategic Cooperation in all spheres, and our common goal is to ensure this through legislation.
It is crucial to develop dialogue in the parliamentary sphere. Without Dialogue there is no Trust, and without Trust there is no Development.
Our Citizens are grateful to the Nicaraguan People for supporting us, for supporting the return of Crimea to Russia and also for recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
We thank Nicaragua's President, Daniel Ortega, who was one of the first to declare the importance of recognizing the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Regions in order to guarantee the security of their Peoples.
Eight years ago there was a coup d'état in Ukraine in which the oligarchs and ultranationalists came to power. The country gave up its sovereignty and the United States occupied the territory of Ukraine de facto. US advisors were appointed in all the institutions of power, but the worst and most dangerous thing of all is that Ukraine has been pumped full of armaments.
Subsequently, throughout all these years, it ignored the Minsk Agreements and carried out a policy of genocide towards the people of Donbass, who, as far as their Authorities were concerned, were guilty for wanting to speak their native language and wanting their Rights and Freedoms to be observed.
Instead of the Ukrainian Authorities seeking Dialogue they fought against their people using heavy armaments; with thousands of victims and wounded, and many people had to flee and leave their native land.
The decision of our President Vladimir Putin to carry out the current peacekeeping operation is intended to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and also to prevent a wider full-scale war.
The population of Ukraine does not have to fear the peacekeeping operation, because it is exclusively aimed at achieving demilitarization.
Ukraine must become an Independent, Democratic and Peaceful State, and it has to free itself from the ultra-nationalist Ideology directed against its People, so as to develop in the interests of its people. And NATO sould not try resolving its security problems at the expense of the security of other participants seeking international order and security. The United States must stop this.
Beloved Friends and Colleagues, you are far away from Russia and Ukraine but you understand and sense very well, better than many European States, what is happening, because you know that the path to Freedom is very difficult.
The history of your country is the history of a courageous, peace-loving and independence-loving country. From your own experience you know the cost of securing your Sovereignty and that it is very hard to protect it.
We have to do more together, and it is very important that we feel that we stand shoulder to shoulder in different situations, and Life has shown us that this is possible.
Strengthening relationships is especially important during the pandemic; Nicaragua is one of the first states to register the Sputnik V vaccine.
Throughout the pandemic Russia has been the first and the main supplier of the vaccine against COVID-19 in your country.
Today we are developing projects in the field of Biotechnologies and our Joint Ventures are producing and exporting drugs against influenza to other neighboring countries, which greatly strengthens the scientific and technological potential of Nicaragua on a regional scale.
Under the pressure of coercive measures against our countries it is very important to develop our economic potential. From January to November last year our bilateral trade grew threefold if we compare with the same period in 2020.
Trade and Economic Cooperation between Russia and Nicaragua has good prospects, and we should do everything possible within the framework of our Parliamentary Cooperation to develop ties between our States.
Beloved Compañeros and Compañeras, the State Duma Delegation paid its first visit to Nicaragua after the Parliamentary Elections were held in Russia in September last year. Recently, in November, you also had Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
In spite of attempts by the United States and other Governments to destabilize the situation, the Nicaraguan People gave their vote of confidence to the current President and also supported his Policy for the development of an Independent and Sovereign State, and demonstrated to the whole World that it is this People that defines its own destiny.
Nicaragua has a very strong People who love their nation and value it. Washington wants to stop the development of our States and believes that their coerrcive measures will weaken us. But it will not get what it wants.
The National Hero of Nicaragua, Carlos Fonseca, said that in Unity there is Strength; in Russia we say that our Strength is in Unity. Thus will we be able to counter any external pressure and develop and strengthen our countries.
Russia and Nicaragua share the same positions in the international arena. We think that it is indispensable to strengthen the central coordinating role of the UN and also to strictly observe its Charter. We are in favor of efficient international institutes, working on the principles of respect for sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and the protection of global peace and stability. Only if we are guided by such principles can the International Community have a future.
Each State must choose for itself the regime it wants; other States must respect that rule, said Simón Bolívar, which is a truth that has become a Rule of International Law, but Washington does not want to learn that rule at all; if something contradicts their globalist interests and does not reflect their scheme of the US World Order, then they deny to entire Peoples their legitimate Right to make their choice and implement an independent Policy.
Beloved Friends, we must do everything we can for our Nations to develop so that we achieve Prosperity.
Long live Russia!
Long Live Nicaragua!