Your Excellency President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, members of the two delegations, and all members of the media, Mingalaba!
I am visiting Russia on an official visit at the invitation of President Mr Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation.
Myanmar and Russia have now marked 78 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Russia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Myanmar after the country gained independence.
Myanmar and Russia are close and true friends, and we have maintained sound relations based on mutual understanding and respect.
In recent years, Myanmar-Russia relations and cooperation have reached their closest and highest level.
Frequent meetings and discussions between the leaders of the two countries have been key drivers of bilateral relations.
Today’s meeting between President Putin and me has made a significant contribution to maintaining and further advancing the momentum of growing bilateral relations.
In addition, we reviewed the implementation of matters discussed and agreed upon between the two countries, as well as the progress of cooperation across various sectors. We were also able to discuss and reach agreements on maintaining the progress already achieved and further expanding cooperation.
We also had extensive discussions on prospects for continued cooperation in various fields, including defence, security, agriculture, livestock breeding, industry, education, science and technology, space technology, health and tourism.
Now that legislative bodies have also been established in Myanmar, we were able to discuss enhancing cooperation not only between the two governments but also between the respective parliaments.
As the visa exemption agreement between the two countries came into effect in January this year, we also discussed prospects for further promoting cooperation in the tourism sector and people-to-people exchanges.
During this visit, we signed 12 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs). We are also coordinating efforts to conclude further agreements on bilateral cooperation across various sectors.
Myanmar and Russia have consistently supported each other at the regional and international levels. We exchanged views, discussed current global affairs, and agreed to continue close cooperation on the international stage in future.
Your Excellency the President, members of the two delegations, and all members of the media
Myanmar is a country strategically located from a geopolitical perspective, with access to large markets in neighbouring countries and abundant natural resources.
It has more than 33 million acres of arable land, a strong labour force, and a favourable and moderate climate. In addition, Myanmar has a coastline stretching more than 1,300 miles.
Given the excellent investment opportunities available in Myanmar, I would once again like to invite, through Your Excellency the President, Russian businesspeople from various sectors to invest in Myanmar. A Myanmar-Russia Economic Cooperation Forum will also be held tomorrow.
Your Excellency the President, members of the two delegations, and all members of the media
In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm my desire to work alongside President Putin, the Government and people of Russia to further advance relations between our two countries through enhanced cooperation between Myanmar and Russia, which share longstanding bonds of friendship.
Thank you.
Speech Delivered by Russian Federation President Mr Vladimir Putin at the Meeting with the Media by the Heads of State of Myanmar and Russia
We were also able to discuss international affairs today. Many agreements have been signed between the governments and relevant departments of Russia and Myanmar. We will continue to emphasize economic cooperation. The two countries have a reliable and robust payment system based on mutual trust. The energy sector is an important area of cooperation between the two countries. There are also coal-fired power plants and oil refinery projects in Myanmar.
In addition, we are interested in cooperating in the exploration of natural resources in Myanmar and in oil and natural gas extraction, including offshore operations in Myanmar. There is considerable potential for Russia to export LNG to Myanmar, which could be used domestically as well as exported to other countries. Last year, we signed an agreement on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Myanmar. This project is also a major undertaking for both countries. There is also significant potential for implementing several projects in the industrial and transport sectors. For example, a steel mill and a fertilizer plant are being constructed in Myanmar.
In the southern part of Myanmar, we are also discussing a deep-sea port construction project. We are also discussing cooperation in the high-tech sector. Russian companies have put forward several proposals and plans for cooperation in Myanmar’s digital sector, cybersecurity and other high-tech fields.
In the field of space cooperation, the two countries signed an agreement on bilateral cooperation in 2025 and have been carrying out cooperation in these areas. Human resource development is also an important area of cooperation for both countries. Under the visa-free arrangement between the two countries, many scientists, young people and athletes, as well as tourists, are travelling between the two countries.
A Myanmar Consulate in Vladivostok is also expected to open soon. In addition, Myanmar cultural and religious centres have been established in Altai, Kaluga and Moscow regions.
Approval has been granted for the construction of a Russian Orthodox Church in Yangon, one of Myanmar’s major cities. I am very pleased to see growing interest in the Russian language in Myanmar. Russian is being taught at universities in Yangon and Mandalay, as well as at the Defence Services Academy.
Myanmar plans to participate in a programme offered by Russia. At present, there are a total of 400 Myanmar students studying at Russian universities. As many as 17,000 Myanmar students have graduated from Russian universities. Russia and Myanmar hold very similar views on international issues. Russia and Myanmar have consistently opposed interference by international organizations in defence-related matters and internal affairs. Russia-Myanmar military technological cooperation is developing well. Joint military exercises are frequently conducted in Myanmar’s waters, and Russian naval vessels have frequently visited Myanmar. I would like to express my gratitude to the delegation led by President U Min Aung Hlaing for visiting Russia today. President U Min Aung Hlaing has an extensive programme during his visit to Russia. In addition to meetings with the Russian Prime Minister and the Chairman of the State Duma, he has many other meetings with various departments and organizations.
Furthermore, President U Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to visit the Republic of Buryatia, which is one of Russia’s Buddhist regions. I am confident that this visit will be successful. I hope that the signing ceremony held today will make a significant contribution to Russia-Myanmar cooperation and partnership. Thank you, distinguished guests.