The President of the Russian Federation Council (Senate), Valentina Matviyenko, on Tuesday called Mozambique a "reliable partner," recalling Russia's support in "all the stages" the African country has gone through.

"For Russia, Mozambique is a reliable partner," Valentina Matviyenko said, moments after signing an agreement aimed at expanding cooperation between the Russian and Mozambican parliaments, as part of a two-day working visit to Maputo.

According to Lusa, Valentina Matvienko, the third Russian state figure, also emphasized the historical relations that exist between the two countries, highlighting Moscow's help in "all the stages that Mozambique has gone through," from the support in the liberation struggle against the Portuguese colonial regime to the training of Mozambican cadres in Russia.

"Our country supported Mozambique in its struggle for independence, and at every stage Russia gave Mozambique assistance in the social and economic fields. Russia always gave Mozambique a shoulder in the most complex moments of its history," Valentina Matviyenko stressed during a press conference, in which the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not addressed and there was room for only two questions, one for the Russian press and the other for the Mozambican press.

"We feel that our Mozambican partners also have the intention to develop the partnership with Russia," Valentina Matviyenko added.

Valentina Matviyenko's visit to Mozambique is the result of an invitation made in October by the president of the Mozambican parliament, Esperança Bias.

"Your presence is a reflection of the cooperation, friendship and mutual respect between our countries. Our relations date back to the time of the armed struggle and those relations remain," she stressed.

The agreement signed by the two leaders aims to strengthen cooperation between the two parliaments, focusing on exchanging experiences and sharing information.

Matviyenko is one of the Russian personalities subjected to sanctions by the United States of America and the European Union (assets frozen and visa-free) since 2014 due to his role in Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea.

Mozambique was one of 38 countries that abstained in the United Nations General Assembly vote, where an overwhelming majority approved a resolution holding Russia responsible for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine due to the war.

Of the 193 United Nations member states, the resolution, presented by France and Mexico and supported by Ukraine, received 140 votes in favor, five against, and 38 abstentions, in a group that, besides Mozambique, includes Angola and Guinea-Bissau.

The Frente de Libertação de Moçambique (Frelimo, the party in power since independence) was an ally of Moscow during the time of the former USSR, receiving military support during the struggle against Portuguese colonialism and economic aid after independence in 1975.

Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine on February 24 that has killed more than 4,000 civilians, according to the UN, which warns that the actual number is likely to be much higher.