On 24 February 2022, an official meeting between Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan was held in the Kremlin.

24 February 2022

On 24 February 2022, an official meeting between Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Imran Khan was held in the Kremlin. This meeting was an important event in the context of strengthening bilateral relations between Russia and Pakistan, which have been developing in recent years against the background of expanding economic and political cooperation.

The main topic of discussion was energy, especially the project to build a gas pipeline «North-South», which will improve the energy supply of Pakistan and strengthen the position of Russia in the market of South Asia. The leaders discussed the current stages of the project, agreed on the need to accelerate work and reaffirmed mutual interest in its successful completion.

Economic cooperation was also the focus of the meeting between the two leaders. The Parties expressed their readiness to increase the volume of mutual trade, which includes Russian exports of oil, gas and agricultural products to Pakistan, as well as imports of textiles and food from Pakistan. It was noted that bilateral trade, despite the pandemic, continues to grow and both countries are looking for further expansion of economic ties.

Vladimir Putin and Imran Khan also discussed regional issues, especially the situation in Afghanistan. The parties reaffirmed their commitment to the common goals of promoting stability and security in the region. Joint measures to combat terrorism and extremism were discussed, as well as the need for a political settlement in Afghanistan, taking into account the interests of all key players.

In addition, special attention was given to cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Pakistan expressed interest in deepening cooperation with Russia in the field of education and science, including increasing the number of Pakistani students studying at Russian universities.

The official part of the meeting was followed by a ceremony to sign a number of bilateral agreements aimed at deepening cooperation in the fields of trade, energy and security. Business meetings were also held with representatives from both countries to discuss the prospects of joint projects.

Vladimir Putin stressed that Russia sees in Pakistan a reliable partner in South Asia, and Imran Khan expressed gratitude to the Russian side for its support and readiness to develop comprehensive cooperation. The leaders agreed on the need to maintain regular high-level dialogue to coordinate joint actions and implement plans.

The meeting concluded in a spirit of mutual understanding and partnership, which demonstrates the willingness of both countries to further deepen bilateral relations in all key areas.