Russia to offer Zimbabwe protection

Russia stands ready to thwart any Western aggression against Zimbabwe, President Vladimir Putin vowed in Moscow during a meeting with President Mugabe.

In 2008, Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution sponsored by Britain and the United States seeking to impose punitive sanctions on Zimbabwe.

President Mugabe, the incumbent chair of Sadc and the African Union, later told African diplomats posted to Moscow that he had no doubt the UN resolution, if it had passed, would have laid the ground for Britain and the US to effect "regime change" in Zimbabwe.

President Putin invited the Zimbabwean leader to appoint a special envoy to steer trade agreements between the two countries.

He said he had instructed his Trade Minister Denis Manturov to receive the envoy and fully explore areas of potential co-operation.