Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is in Moscow to hold talks with Russian leaders on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations.
The foreign minister is on a two day visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
On his arrival at Moscow airport, the Foreign Minister was received by senior officials of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia Shafqat Ali Khan and officials of the embassy. The two foreign ministers are scheduled to meet today for official talks.
According to the Foreign Office, the foreign minister is visiting the Russian Federation at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The two foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on Monday for official talks.
Foreign Minister @BBhuttoZardari has arrived in Moscow on an official visit. The FM was received by senior officials of Russian Foreing Ministry, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Mr. Shafqat Ali Khan @shafqatAmbPak and officials of the Embassy.@mfa_russia @PakinRussia pic.twitter.com/JdELstMw4i
— Spokesperson ?? MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) January 29, 2023
The visit by the foreign minister comes almost a week after Pakistan and Russia reached an agreement on the supply of Russian crude oil and other oil products in a major breakthrough at a time when the country is facing a severe economic crunch.
The two sides reached an agreement after the Pakistan-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation concluded.
Pakistan would finalise the framework for the purchase of Russian oil in March this year and make the payment for its energy imports in the currencies of friendly countries, energy and petroleum ministers of the two countries said after a joint ministerial meeting.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had received a special message from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who views Pakistan as Russia’s key partner in South Asia and the Islamic world, reiterating his country’s keen interest in deepening bilateral relationship as well as increasing trade and investment between the two sides.
Through the special message, the Russian energy minister conveyed that President Putin referred to “Pakistan as Russia’s important partner in South Asia and the Islamic World [and] reiterated Russia’s strong interest to deepen the bilateral relationship”.
