Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday cast President Vladimir Putin as "my dear brother" and said Russia was a consistent ally of Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa, speaking at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, praised Putin for defending the independence and territorial integrity of Russia.
"Zimbabwe considers the Russian Federation as a consistent globally," Mnangagwa said on a stage shared by Putin in St Petersburg. "Strength lies in our unity, adaptability and innovation."
"It is regrettable and unacceptable that the collective West continues to pursue hegemonic tendencies that blatantly violate the sovereign equality of nations, justice and fairness," Mnangagwa told the forum.
Western sanctions
Mnangagwa called for an end to sanctions on his own country that he said were imposed for the "crime" of Zimbabwean people claiming their own land.
Still Zimbabwe, he said, was "open for business".
President Putin said that the Russian economy was growing despite heavy international sanctions and the country has expanded economic ties with countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Addressing the presidents of Bolivia and Zimbabwe and business leaders at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said Russia “remains one of the key participants in world trade,” despite the fact that the country is under sweeping sanctions for sending troops into Ukraine.
The forum has been used by Russia for decades as a showcase for touting the country's development.
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