Moscow: The strong bilateral ties between Malaysia and the Russian Federation have been further reinforced through Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit, which ended today. The Prime Minister said at the final media conference of his visit that the close ties between the two countries would be translated into more conducive trade relations, including the exploration of new sectors offered by both nations. Malaysia, he added, is set to benefit from the high tourism potential from Russia through the Russian airline Aeroflot, which is expected to resume flights to Malaysia soon.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, during the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, there was a mutual interest in expanding the halal network as well as Islamic banking and finance. Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, led a delegation that included several Malaysian ministers, highlighting the importance of this visit. The delegation met with 24 companies in Russia interested in expanding their businesses in Malaysia and held two business events focused on trade aspects in the country.
Anwar also met with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to discuss bilateral issues related to agro-commodities, agriculture, and other sectors. The discussions aimed at resolving issues hindering cooperation, with a particular focus on palm oil and palm-based products, as well as the chemical industry, furniture, retail, and infrastructure development, including digital and artificial intelligence.
During his visit to the Republic of Tatarstan, Anwar was impressed by the environment that balances Islamic values with good relations with the Orthodox church. He expressed hope that Malaysia could adopt a similar spirit of cooperation.
Regarding the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014, Anwar addressed the findings released by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in his meeting with Putin. President Putin expressed regret over the tragedy, extended condolences to the affected families, and stated Russia’s openness to further investigations if needed.
Recently, the ICAO concluded that Russia was responsible for the incident, which resulted in the death of all 298 passengers and crew members on board, including citizens from the Netherlands, Malaysia, and Australia. The decision was described by the Dutch and Australian governments as an important step towards justice and accountability for the victims and their families.