Prime Minister Imran Khan will pay an official two-day visit to Russia from February 23.
Prime Minister Imran, visiting Kremlin on the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will discuss bilateral and regional issues with him.
It will be the first bilateral visit by a Pakistani prime minister to Russia in nearly 23 years. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif last visited Moscow in 1999.
“Bilateral Summit will be the highlight of the visit of PM Imran Khan, who will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the members of his cabinet,” a statement from the Foreign Office said.
The visit in fact resulted from the premier’s call to President Putin on Jan 17 for praising him for his criticism of the incidents of blasphemy in Western countries.
The announcement was made amid growing uncertainty about the visit due to fears of a likely war between Russia and Ukraine, and the political scenario at home.
During the summit meeting, the two leaders will review the entire array of bilateral relations, including energy cooperation, the FO statement added.
“They will also have wide-ranging exchange of views on major regional and international issues, including Islamophobia and the situation in Afghanistan,” the statement read.
Pakistan and Russia enjoy friendly relations marked by mutual respect, trust and convergence of views on a range of international and regional issues.
The visit of the prime minister will contribute to further deepening of the multifaceted Pakistan-Russia bilateral relationship and enhancement of mutual cooperation in diverse fields, it added.
On February 24, the premier will lay a floral wreath at the monument of heroes killed in World War II. Later, he will meet with the President Putin.
During the meetings, PM Imran will reiterate his resolve to complete the Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline (PSGP) project at the earliest.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Asad Umar, Abdul Razak Dawood, Moeed Yousuf and others will accompany the premier during the visit.
