President Hugo Chávez Thursday met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and praised his weapon sales agreements with Russia, AP reported.

Chávez thanked Putin's help in "breaking the US policy intended to disarm Venezuela completely," DPA reported.

He added that without Russian support Venezuela would be practically disarmed, given the US blockade.

Venezuela and Russia initialed an agreement under which Caracas is to purchase 24 Russian Sukhoi Su-30 warplanes, Thursday said Serguei Tchemezov, head of the Russian weapon exports agency Rosoboronexport in the Kremlin, as quoted by AFP.

His announcement came following the meeting between Chávez and Putin.

Tchemezov told reporters that Venezuela and Russia have initialed arm deals for some USD 3 billion in the last 18 months, including purchase of 24 Sukhoi Su-30 warplanes and 53 helicopters.

Chávez, at the beginning of his meeting with Putin, said Venezuela needed the Russian warplanes because the United States refused to sell spare parts for the old fleet of F-16s planes Venezuela owns.

Earlier on Thursday, Chávez slashed out at the United States during a ceremony before the statue of Liberator Simón Bolívar. "After almost two centuries, we can say that the United States was meant to populate the whole world with poverty on behalf of freedom. That is what is happening in Iraq, the Middle East and Latin America. The United States is the worst threat facing the world today."

At the end of his three-day official visit to Russia, Chávez talked about a strategic alliance with Russia, claiming he was "determined to consolidate bilateral relations." Putin, in turn, branded Venezuela as "natural ally."

Next, Chávez is to visit Qatar, Iran and Mali, in his attempts to obtain support for Venezuela candidacy to the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member.