Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia’s relations with Pakistan are “genuinely mutually beneficial” and based on close cooperation between the two countries.
His remarks came as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, presented his credentials to President Putin during a ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow.
According to a statement shared by the Russian Embassy in Pakistan, President Putin said Russia maintains close ties with Pakistan, which is a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
He said both countries are working together in a spirit of partnership and shared interest.
In recent years, Pakistan and Russia have moved closer, especially in the field of energy. After Western sanctions over the Ukraine conflict, Russia started looking for new markets.
At the same time, Pakistan was searching for cheaper fuel to cut its import bill. This shared need brought the two countries closer.
In 2023, Pakistan began importing Russian crude oil as part of its energy mix.
Last month, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said both sides were also discussing a new agreement in the oil sector.
Pakistan imports around 70 per cent of its crude oil and now relies mainly on Russian supplies.
In November last year, during the visit of Russia’s energy minister to Islamabad, both countries agreed to expand cooperation in trade, energy, business and social sectors like health and education.
These steps show that ties between Pakistan and Russia are moving steadily forward.
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