Russian-Ecuadorian Trade Relationship Unaffected by Unrest, Despite Potential Military Equipment Exchange with US

Russian Ambassador to Ecuador Vladimir Sprinchan recalled that this Latin American country has a huge volume of trade with the Russian Federation, in particular, regularly sends large shipments of bananas, and therefore is interested in maintaining trade turnover despite the unrest that has broken out there.

“I think that this will not affect much either, because exporters, manufacturers, and transport workers are interested in preserving the Russian market, which is important for the Ecuadorian economy. Even if there were minor delays on the roads due to these events, this will not have a significant impact; it will be quickly compensated for. One or two days do not affect the huge volume of trade turnover that we have with Ecuador,” the head of the Russian diplomatic mission said on the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

As reported EADailyPresident of Ecuador Daniel Noboa told radio station Canela that a decision had been made to accept US assistance and abandon the previously purchased obsolete military equipment of Russian and Ukrainian origin. As Noboa noted, “we will receive help from the United States, there will be an exchange of Russian and Ukrainian scrap metal for modern equipment worth $200 million.” To this, the Russian Foreign Ministry responded that Moscow would consider Ecuador’s transfer of Russian military equipment to the United States an unfriendly step.