Myanmar's Prime Minister and Military Leaders to Meet Putin in Moscow

Synopsis

Myanmar's Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing is visiting Moscow with military officials to discuss cooperation with President Putin. The talks will focus on enhancing bilateral relations and investment opportunities, specifically in the Dawei Special Economic Zone. This meeting follows their previous discussions in Vladivostok in 2022.

Key Takeaways

Myanmar PM Min Aung Hlaing is in Moscow for talks with Putin.
Discussions will cover Russian-Myanmar cooperation and international issues.
A memorandum on investment cooperation was recently signed.
Security collaboration between Myanmar and Russia is expanding.
Myanmar is seen as a strategic partner by Russia in Southeast Asia.

Naypyidaw, Mar 3 (NationPress) Myanmar's Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing departed for Moscow accompanied by key ministers and military officials on an official trip to Russia on Monday.

As per the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin is set to engage in discussions with the visiting Myanmar PM on Tuesday.

"Topics regarding the future of mutually advantageous Russian-Myanmar relations, along with various international matters, will be deliberated," stated a release from the Russian President's office.

Post discussions, both parties are expected to issue a joint statement and finalize multiple intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements.

The last encounter between these leaders occurred in Vladivostok during the autumn of 2022 when PM Aung Hlaing participated in the Eastern Economic Forum.

Russia has shown interest in investing in the war-affected nation. In January, discussions were held regarding investments in the Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ) located in the Tanintharyi Region of southern Myanmar.

Recently, Myanmar and Russia formalized a memorandum on investment collaboration in the Dawei special economic zone, which includes the development of a port and an oil refinery, as per a statement from Russia's Ministry of Economic Development.

Seeing Myanmar as a longstanding and trustworthy ally in Southeast Asia, Russia aims to enhance its strategic partnership with the nation.

In a 2024 interview with TASS, PM Aung Hlaing remarked that Russia is aiding Myanmar in modernizing its military forces and that security cooperation has been extensive between the two nations.

"Recent developments in security cooperation have been notable. This includes strong ties with the Myanmar armed forces, alongside technology exchanges and personnel training. Russia assists Myanmar in maintaining its military at a contemporary level. A significant number of Myanmar's military personnel are educated in scientific-technical and military disciplines at Russian universities. This is the primary area of our collaboration," stated Hlaing.