Russian Security Council Assistant Secretary, Alexander Venediktov, told Sputnik News Agency that the West has been emboldened by the COVID-19 pandemic and has attempted to control oil reserves in Libya and Venezuela.
“We see this in the case of Libya and Venezuela, whose oil reserves the West is actively trying to seize without even hiding its intentions”, Venediktov said.
Venediktov believed that the COVID-19 outbreak has reignited old regional disputes, and created new ones. The emerging tensions may not be over when the pandemic ends, he added, as global actors will likely pursue their interests even more aggressively.