"Extremely concerned with the exponential degradation of the situation on the ground", Angola said this Wednesday in a statement, distributed on the sidelines of a visit by the Russian Foreign Minister to Luanda, that the use of increasingly warlike technical means "could lead to a greater involvement in the conflict by the different partners and its consequent spread into the third world war".
In the statement, distributed shortly after Germany authorized the deployment of Leopard 2 tanks to reinforce Ukrainian troops - a claim by Kiev to reconquer the territory occupied by Moscow -, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered that all the nations of the world are "victims in varying degrees" of this conflict.
This statement followed the meeting between Minister Téte António and his Russian counterpart, Serguei Lavrov, who chose to recall Moscow's past support for the Angolan government party.
For Angola, the war in Europe constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security and the conflict, with "innumerable" human casualties and the destruction of infrastructure in Ukraine and thousands of displaced people and refugees, "has caused serious global economic consequences leading to to the resurgence of a new ideological duality in the world".
"Faced with this situation and as a committed international actor, the Republic of Angola maintains its principled position, reiterating its appeal for the unconditional cessation of hostilities by the belligerents, always prioritizing the peaceful way to resolve this crisis", says the statement.
In his statements to the press, Lavrov never commented on the call for a ceasefire, repeating that Russia is only responding to what he called Moscow's "Nazi regime".
The communiqué highlights several excerpts from the intervention made this Wednesday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, in bilateral talks with the Russian delegation, also reaffirming Angola's adherence to the African Union's principle of "non-indifference".
Angola also points out that, since the beginning of the struggle for independence, it has maintained "strong ties of friendship" with Russia, which sustain a close, dynamic and multifaceted cooperation relationship at all levels.
The Republic of Ukraine "is also an important partner with which the Republic of Angola maintains good diplomatic and cooperation relations", he also points out this positioning.
Serguei Lavrov, who completed his first day visit to Angola this Wednesday, was also welcomed by the President, João Lourenço.
Delegations from both countries are due to hold a meeting of the joint intergovernmental commission, next April, in Luanda, for the reinforcement and expansion of bilateral cooperation, as announced by the head of diplomacy of the Russian Federation.
