PM Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirm commitment to strengthening bilateral relations

Beijing : Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations in various fields, including the promotion of trade. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Russian President Vladimir Putin here.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi were also present at the meeting. The two leaders warmly shook hands.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that this meeting is taking place after our last meeting in Astana in July last year. He said that serious and sincere efforts are underway to promote cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade and economy. Last year, bilateral trade between the two countries increased. Pakistan imported oil from Russia, which boosted bilateral trade. Over the past several years, relations between the two countries have strengthened. Due to President Putin’s interest and determination, relations are progressing in the right direction.

The Prime Minister said that following the Astana meeting, delegations from both countries visited each other’s nations. Pakistan seeks cooperation with Russia in various fields, including trade, agriculture, iron, steel, energy, and transport. In this regard, different protocols have also been signed to enhance cooperation. Furthermore, progress has been made on the corridor linking Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, which will be a highly significant corridor. This reflects that, due to the determination of both countries, bilateral relations will be further strengthened.

He said that Pakistan’s bilateral relations with Russia are growing stronger with time, and he would be pleased to visit Russia. The Prime Minister added that Russia’s support and its efforts to create regional balance are commendable. He said that Pakistan respects Russia’s relations with India, but Pakistan also desires to foster strong relations with Russia, which will contribute to the development and prosperity of the region. He said your dynamic leadership is of great importance, and we will work together with you.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he was pleased to meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He recalled that their last meeting took place a year ago in Astana during the SCO Summit. He said Pakistan has always been our traditional partner in Asia, and relations between the two countries have strengthened. In their previous meeting, both sides also agreed to strengthen bilateral relations, and progress has since been made in this regard. He stressed the need to ensure an increase in trade and to examine how to remove obstacles to the promotion of trade.

He said that Russia wants to strengthen bilateral relations with Pakistan, and that Russia enjoys excellent relations with Pakistan. The Russian President noted that Pakistan is facing a natural disaster and expressed hope that under the Prime Minister’s leadership, Pakistan would overcome all difficulties. He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the people of Pakistan over the losses caused by floods.

He further said that the two countries are also in contact at the parliamentary level and are cooperating with each other at international forums. He highlighted that Pakistan is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, which is an important platform, and under its framework, Russia and Pakistan continue their engagement.

He added that in November, a meeting of heads of government will be held in Russia under the SCO framework, and extended an invitation to the Prime Minister to participate.