In a move to strengthen bilateral relations, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing, referring to Pakistan as a “traditional partner” in Asia. The meeting, which took place ahead of China’s Victory Day parade, saw the leaders discuss ways to deepen their countries’ ties. Both heads of state were also in attendance at the SCO Summit earlier in the week.
In his public comments before the talks began, Putin expressed his high regard for the relationship with Pakistan and signaled a desire for closer cooperation. “Pakistan remains our traditional partner in Asia,” Putin said, according to a transcript of his remarks. “We value our relations. I would like to point out that during our previous meeting, we agreed to step up our relations, and indeed, some progress has been made.”
He also noted a slight decrease in trade between the two countries, calling it a “telling sign” that they needed to address the issue and work to reverse the trend. The meeting highlights a mutual interest in boosting the strategic and economic partnership between Russia and Pakistan.
