Putin makes third trip to Uzbekistan in three months
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Russian news agencies report that the two leaders will sign several bilateral agreements in the energy and economic sectors.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in the Uzbek capital Tashkent on Sunday, May 26, 2024 (Kremlin)
Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in Uzbekistan on Sunday, marking his first visit to the neighboring country since he was re-elected in March, Russian news agencies reported.
Putin will hold an official meeting on Monday with his counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who greeted him at the airport in the country's capital Tashkent upon his arrival.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is willing to increase cooperation with Uzbekistan on gas supplies. "The possibilities here are very extensive," he said.
Read more: EU figures Russia sanctions are backfiring: Modern Diplomacy
Putin and Mirziyoyev will also attend the inaugural meeting of the Council of Regions of Russia and Uzbekistan. Furthermore, a number of bilateral agreements in energy and trade will be signed during the talks.
The two leaders held an informal meeting after Putin first arrived. The Uzbek presidential office said their meeting discussed bolstering a "comprehensive strategic partnership and alliance" and the "development of trade and economic cooperation.”
The Russian president and Mirziyoyev visited the New Uzbekistan Park and the Independence Monument in Tashkent, where Putin laid a wreath for Uzbek independence.
Ever since the war began in Ukraine in 2022, the West, led by the United States, has been elevating pressure on countries to isolate Russia and oblige with their sanctions against Moscow. But many nations, especially of the Global South, have opted otherwise, and have been strengthening their ties with Russia, including cooperation across various sectors, mostly in trade and energy.
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