MOSCOW, Aug 18 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Moscow on Tuesday with Myanmar’s junta chief-turned-president, Min Aung Hlaing, discussing a wide range of issues including prospective energy deals.
Russia is the first non-neighbouring country Min Aung Hlaing has visited since becoming Myanmar’s president in April, a sign of the two countries’ deepening ties in the face of pressure from the West.
In remarks after the meeting, Putin described Min Aung Hlaing as a friend of Russia and said the two countries were cooperating across a range of sectors, including energy, defence and even space exploration.
Putin said Russia was in talks with Myanmar on the construction of an oil refinery as well as on hydrocarbon production and exploration, including on Myanmar’s continental shelf.
He also said there were good prospects for supplies of Russian liquefied natural gas to Myanmar, including for onward transit to other countries.
The former general, Min Aung Hlaing, is the target of a raft of Western sanctions and has been on a quest for international legitimacy since winning a vote in parliament to become president, which came after an election dominated by an army-backed party in the absence of a viable opposition.
Like China, Russia backs Myanmar’s military. Moscow has expanded defence cooperation and sought opportunities for Russian energy companies in Myanmar.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since 2021, when its military ousted the administration of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering a civil war.
Min Aung Hlaing has visited Russia several times as Myanmar’s leader. He and Putin held talks in the Kremlin last year, an occasion marked by Min Aung Hlaing gifting Russia six elephants and an agreement for Russia’s state nuclear power corporation to build a small-scale nuclear plant in Myanmar.
(Writing by Alessandra Prentice and Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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