Ample room for Russia-Malaysia trade to grow, says Putin
Published on: Thursday, September 05, 2024
By: FMT
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a bilateral meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Vladivostok yesterday. (Facebook pic)
PETALING JAYA: There are ample opportunities to expand trade between Russia and Malaysia, says Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is in Vladivostok for a two-day working visit, during which he held a bilateral meeting with Putin yesterday and is set to address the plenary session of the 9th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) today.
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In an excerpt of his speech posted on the official website of the Russian president, Putin said trade between Russia and Malaysia currently stands at about US$3.5 billion annually.
"(This) can hardly be considered a satisfactory result for us considering the potential we have,"he said.
"In fact, there are many opportunities on both sides."
He also said Russia is expected to deepen its relationship with Asean when Malaysia chairs the regional body next year.
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"We sincerely hope that during your chairmanship, we will be able to explore new opportunities for cooperation with this rapidly growing and promising region,"he said.
During the meeting, Anwar assured Putin that Malaysia, as Asean chair, will work towards boosting the association’s collaboration with Russia in all fields.
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He described their discussion as "deep, wide-ranging and productive" ,adding that Russia is seen as a key partner for Malaysia as the country works towards diversifying its strategic relationships.
Anwar also said there is "immense" potential for Malaysia and Russia to leverage their expertise in fields such as education, agriculture, and Islamic finance.
In addition to economic cooperation, Anwar used the meeting to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and hoped that Russia would pursue a peaceful and sustainable resolution to it.
This is Anwar’s first visit to Russia and his first meeting with Putin since assuming office in November 2022.
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