Russia ready to loan $2.2 bln to Venezuela - Putin

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia is ready to loan $2.2 billion to Venezuela.

"Our Finance Ministry have considered Venezuela's request for a $2.2-bln loan...and I informed the Venezuelan president today that Russia is ready to give this loan [to Venezuela]," Putin said at a joint news conference with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas.

Putin arrived in Venezuela on Friday for talks on a range of issues including military-technical cooperation and joint energy projects.

Washington earlier expressed concern that the money loaned by Russia could be used by Caracas for purchases of sophisticated military equipment but Russian deputy finance minister Dmitry Pankin said on Friday the loan was not tied to arms purchases.

Since 2005, Venezuela has already bought $4 billion worth of Russian weapons, including warplanes, helicopters, and Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Chavez said on Saturday Venezuela may buy at least one Be-200 amphibious aircraft to fight devastating forest fires in the country.

However, earlier reports said that Caracas wanted to buy 92 T-72 tanks and an unspecified number of Smerch multiple rocket launchers from Russia, among other military equipment, with the new loan.

CARACAS, April 3 (RIA Novosti)