VLADIVOSTOK: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin here on Wednesday.
The meeting will provide an opportunity for both leaders to take stock and discuss bilateral relations and explore collaboration in new areas such as aerospace and advanced technologies.
This includes trade and investment, higher education, technical and vocational education and training, agriculture and food security as well as tourism.
Anwar is on a working visit to Russia on Sept 4-5 to attend the 9th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF 2024) here.
He will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib, Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Arthur Joseph
Kurup and senior government officials.
This will be the Prime Minister's first trip to Russia since assuming office in November 2022.
He is expected to arrive tomorrow morning.
Anwar and Putin are also expected to exchange perspectives on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in the Middle East.
They may discuss cooperation within the context of Asean-Russia Dialogue Partnership.
Anwar will also reiterate Malaysia's interest to join BRICS to Putin, who is holding the bloc's chairmanship for 2024.
He is due to address the plenary session of the EEF 2024 on Sept 5, sharing the stage with Putin and Chinese vice president Han Zheng before returning home.
EEF is an annual economic forum held in Russia's Far East region since 2015 to promote investment and economic development as well as international cooperation in the region.
The plenary session, themed "Combining Strength to Create New Potential", will be attended by high-level foreign and local dignitaries, policymakers, academics and captains of industries.
"The Prime Minister's working visit underscores the strong relations between Malaysia and Russia and provides an opportunity for both nations to enhance bilateral cooperation for mutual benefit, especially in trade and investment," the Foreign Ministry said today.
In 2023, Russia was Malaysia's eighth largest trading partner among European countries.
Total bilateral trade increased by 15.6 per cent to RM14.22 billion (US$3.1 billion) from RM12.3 billion (US$2.79 billion) recorded in 2022.