Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to discuss the expansion of bilateral trade between their two countries. During the televised meeting, Shehbaz highlighted that the current bilateral trade volume stands at around $1 billion and emphasized the potential for significant increase by resolving financial and banking issues.
Attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State (CHS) and SCO Plus summits, PM Shehbaz expressed his pleasure in meeting President Putin and congratulated him on his re-election. He also expressed confidence in Russia’s continued progress under Putin’s leadership and noted the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Russia relations over the years.
Shehbaz underlined his readiness to work closely with Putin to further strengthen bilateral ties, citing the benefits of Putin’s experience and leadership. He also thanked the Russian government for a recent oil shipment to Pakistan and expressed a desire for continued cooperation in this area.
Furthermore, Shehbaz emphasized that Pakistan-Russia ties are based on a long history of business relations and are not influenced by geopolitical factors. He recalled the barter trade between the two countries from the 1950s to the 1970s, highlighting the import of machinery from Russia and the export of leather and other commodities by Pakistan during that period.
In response, President Putin echoed Shehbaz’s sentiments and mentioned their prior discussions in Samarkand on improving bilateral relations. He acknowledged the cordial relations between Pakistan and Russia, emphasizing the potential for enhanced cooperation in energy and agriculture. Additionally, Putin expressed his readiness to promote cooperation with Pakistan in the field of food security.
