Pakistan, Russia vow strengthening bilateral cooperation

BEIJING: Prime Minister (PM) Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with President of Russia Vladimir Putin in Beijing, China, where the latter expressed his country’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation with Pakistan across a broad array of subjects. According to a press statement issued here, PM Shehbaz and President Putin discussed the situation in South Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, as well as the Ukraine conflict. “Recalling their last meeting in Astana in 2024, both leaders expressed great satisfaction on expanding cooperation and increasing momentum over the course of past one year,” the statement read. PM Shehbaz and President Putin acknowledged that the relationship is currently underpinned by mutual trust, respect, and warmth between the two sides. Emphasizing the importance Pakistan places on its ties with Russia, the prime minister expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade connectivity, energy, agriculture, investment, defence, artificial intelligence, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. Read More: China's Xi reaffirms support for Pakistan's economic growth PM Shehnaz noted that both countries have almost similar approaches on various global platforms, emphasizing the need for regular engagement of the established institutional mechanisms between the two countries. PM Shehbaz further highlighted that concrete initiatives like the flagship Pakistan Steel Mill (PSM) project in Karachi and investments in connectivity projects will serve as enduring symbols of Pakistan-Russia friendship for future generations. Agreeing with the assessment of the prime minister on bilateral relations, President Vladimir Putin noted the upward trajectory of ties between the two countries, said the press statement. President Putin also stressed the importance of collaboration in organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation which he said n can serve a major role in regional and global security and stability. Moreover, he expressed Russia’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation with Pakistan across a broad array of subjects. The two leaders also exchanged views on ongoing cooperation at the multilateral forums, as well as on the long-standing issues and disputes of global interest such as Palestine and Kashmir. The Russian President extended a most cordial invitation to the Prime Minister to undertake an official visit to Russia.