ISTANBUL 

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov met with Col.-Gen. Khaled Haftar, chief of staff of the Libyan National Army (LNA), in Moscow to discuss bilateral defense ties and regional developments, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Belousov congratulated Khaled Haftar on his recent promotion, calling it “recognition of your significant contribution to strengthening the country’s defense capability.”

He also sent greetings to Khaled’s brother, Saddam Haftar, recently appointed LNA deputy commander, and conveyed best wishes to the force’s commander, Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Belousov said the talks were built on the May 9 meeting in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Khalifa Haftar during the 80th anniversary commemorations of the Soviet victory in World War II.

Khaled Haftar thanked Belousov for the reception and emphasized Libya’s appreciation for Moscow’s role in global security.

“This visit is very useful for us. We were able to appreciate the significant contribution of the Russian Federation to ensuring global stability,” he said.

The two sides also reviewed current Russian-Libyan relations and discussed the wider situation in North Africa.

Russia has maintained close contacts with Khalifa Haftar, who controls eastern Libya and much of the south, while the internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) is based in Tripoli. Western governments have accused Moscow of supporting Haftar militarily, charges it denies.