Federico Bordonaro

Intervista per RFERL sulla visita di Putin in Libia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is traveling to Tripoli to hold talks with Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, a visit in which he hopes to secure key energy and arms deals.
[…] Russian media reports that, in addition to energy, Putin and Qaddafi are expected to discuss arms sales. Interfax quotes defense-industry sources as saying that Putin will try to close a $2.5 billion arms deal including antiaircraft systems, fighter jets, helicopters, submarines, and warships.

Some analysts say the arms deal could be linked to energy concessions and toward clearing Libya’s $3.5 billion Soviet-era debt. In 2006, Putin cut an arms-for-debt swap with Algeria, in which Russia also gained key energy concessions.