Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to boosting bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, energy, regional connectivity, and cultural exchanges.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Beijing, where both leaders discussed expanding mutual ties and enhancing collaboration.
Strengthening Bilateral Engagement
PM Shehbaz acknowledged President Putin’s role in fostering closer relations between the two nations, recalling their previous meeting in Astana where they agreed to intensify cooperation. He emphasized that Pakistan is eager to further advance ties in commerce, energy, and infrastructure.
Highlighting recent progress, the prime minister noted that Pakistan-Russia trade has grown significantly, particularly after Islamabad imported oil from Moscow last year, boosting trade volume.
Regional Connectivity and Strategic Cooperation
The prime minister underlined the importance of the regional trade corridor linking Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. He stressed that this initiative could transform connectivity and prosperity in the region.
President Putin, meanwhile, appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in regional affairs and expressed optimism that the country would overcome its challenges under the present leadership. He reiterated Russia’s intention to strengthen ties with Pakistan, describing the relationship as long-standing and deeply valued.
Both leaders also discussed cooperation at the United Nations level, with Putin highlighting Pakistan’s role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Cooperation with Tajikistan
Separately, PM Shehbaz met with the President of Tajikistan. Both sides expressed satisfaction with their ongoing cooperation and agreed to expand collaboration in trade, investment, security, energy, and people-to-people exchanges.
Shared Vision for the Future
PM Shehbaz expressed gratitude to President Putin for supporting Pakistan in the region, noting that Pakistan respects Russia’s ties with India but seeks to develop strong, complementary relations of its own with Moscow.
President Putin echoed this sentiment, affirming that both nations should take further steps to enhance trade and collaboration. He also extended condolences to the people of Pakistan over the losses caused by recent natural disasters.
Both leaders reaffirmed their shared vision of strengthening ties rooted in cultural, historical, and religious connections, while working closely on global and regional issues of mutual concern.
