Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, July 3, in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana.
According to Geo News, PM Shehbaz, in a meeting with the Russian President, emphasised expanding bilateral barter trade with Russia to overcome financial and other banking issues.
Shehbaz said, “Our relations stand on our own strength; neither our relations are driven by any geopolitical contingency nor are these impacted by our relations with other countries.”
The heads of Russian and Pakistani states are currently in Kazakhstan to attend the twin summits of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) Council of Heads of State and SCO Plus.
Moreover, Punit, during the meeting, discussed the possibility of providing more energy supplies to Pakistan on the request of the PM.
The Russian president told Shehbaz, “I would like to particularly emphasise two key areas: cooperation in the energy and agro-industrial sectors. We have started supplying energy resources to Pakistan, and we are ready to further increase these supplies.”
Putin further added, “As per your request, Russia is actively working to support Pakistan’s food security by increasing grain supplies to the Pakistani market.”
For the unversed, Pakistan received its first shipment of Russian crude oil in June 2023. Under an agreement signed between two countries.
