Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the expanding relationship between Russia and Pakistan as “mutually beneficial,” highlighting the steady growth of cooperation across multiple sectors. The remarks were made during a formal ceremony at the Grand Kremlin Palace on Thursday, where Pakistan’s Ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, presented his credentials to the Russian president.
According to a statement shared on the X account of the Russian Embassy in Pakistan, President Putin emphasized the importance of continued engagement between the two countries. He noted that Pakistan is a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which he described as the region’s largest regional organization in terms of economic, technical, and human resources. In this context, Putin stated that Russia–Pakistan relations are mutually beneficial “in the truest sense,” underlining the value both sides derive from their partnership.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Tirmizi conveyed greetings to President Putin on behalf of the president, prime minister, and people of Pakistan. President Putin, while referring to Pakistan as a close partner of Russia, expressed appreciation for the expanding scope of bilateral cooperation. He noted that engagement between the two countries has grown particularly in areas such as trade, diplomacy, commerce, education, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, railways, industry, health, and information technology.
Ambassador Tirmizi officially assumed charge of Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in Moscow in October last year. His tenure is expected to focus on further scaling bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest. Priority sectors identified include energy, trade, connectivity, culture, education, and the promotion of people-to-people contacts. In addition, the ambassador has placed strong emphasis on engaging with and supporting the Pakistani diaspora residing across the Russian Federation.
In recent years, Pakistan and Russia have strengthened their economic ties, driven by shared interests and mutual benefits. Following sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the Ukraine war, Russia began turning towards new energy markets, while Pakistan also reached out to Russia in search of affordable fuel sources.
In 2024, Pakistan sought a multi-billion-dollar agreement with Russia for the construction of a liquefied natural gas pipeline. Further engagement was highlighted in December, when Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that Pakistan was in talks with Russia regarding a potential oil-sector agreement, with discussions ongoing between the energy ministries of both countries.
Russia has also shown interest in exploring cooperation in Pakistan’s banking sector. Last month, Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev stated that such engagement would aim to reduce reliance on Western payment networks.