Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan is keen to expand its trade, economic, energy, connectivity, and security ties with Russia, Radio Pakistan reported.
The statement was made during a meeting with Alexei Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, in Islamabad.
Russia would support Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS, says Russian deputy PM
The premier said he looks forward to meeting Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin at the SCO summit next month.
PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan considers strengthening relations with Russia an important priority of the country’s foreign policy.
The premier recalled that he had a fruitful discussion with President Vladimir Putin in July earlier this year and thanked him for sending the high-level delegation to discuss the expansion of bilateral cooperation.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk thanked Shehbaz Sharif for the warm welcome and reiterated Russia’s resolve to deepen relations with Pakistan. He characterized Pakistan-Russia relations as constructive and mutually beneficial.
The two sides agreed to maintain regular contact.
Russian Deputy PM Overchuk to arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday: FO
The Prime Minister also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Russia and Pakistan.
The MoU signifies the shared understanding and desire of the two countries to further strengthen mutually advantageous cooperation in all areas of shared interest, especially trade, investment, energy, IT, agriculture, science and technology, and education.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said on Thursday that Moscow would support Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS.
“We would be supportive of it,” Overchuk, who is on a two-day visit to Islamabad, told a joint press conference with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad.
This is the highest-level visit from an official of the Russian Federation in several years, and a follow-up of discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana (Kazakhstan) on July 3, 2024.
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