On Wednesday, Russia\’s Foreign Minister said Moscow and Islamabad are set to strengthen relations in the war against terrorism. For this, Russia has decided to supply Pakistan with unspecified military equipment. Furthermore, the two countries are also ready to conduct joint drills at the sea and in the mountains.
On the second day of a two-day visit to Pakistan, Sergey Lavrov spoke. It\’s the first time a Russian Foreign Minister has visited in nine years. It marks a point in history as a part of the thawing of tense ties. Not only this, It comes as Moscow seeks to raise its profile in the region, especially in Afghanistan. Russia hopes to become a key player in efforts to bring decades of war to an end in a peaceful manner. Strengthening ties with Pakistan, and creating a strategic security bond through joint drills.
“We stand ready to strengthen Pakistan\’s anti-terrorism capability, including by supplying Pakistan with special military equipment,” Lavrov said. Although he mentioned this without specifying what equipment he was referring to. He also gave hints that future military drills will also help enhance cooperation between the two countries.
Russia Pakistan Assisting each other in Joint Drills;
Regarding the Joint drills, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the country had \”considered our defence and counterterrorism cooperation and believe that we have opportunities for engagement within our system of dialogue [involving] strategic stability and counterterrorism, and we believe we can assist each other.\”
Foreign Minister Qureshi said Russia\’s Sputnik V vaccine is currently used for Pakistan\’s Covid-19 inoculation program. Further stating that it was \”seeing good results\”. Lavrov stated that Russia had already given 50,000 vaccine doses to Pakistan and planned to send another 150,000.
Later in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov met separately with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. According to a statement from the Prime Minister\’s Office, \”bilateral ties and matters of regional and global significance was a significant part of the discussion\” during the meeting with the premier.
According to Michael Kugelman, Deputy Director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center in Washington, the visit highlights the United States\’ dwindling presence in the region, as Russian and Chinese clout rises.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Expresses that the Joint drills will Create a Bond of Trust Between the Countries
The Russian Foreign Minister recognized Pakistan\’s successes in the war on terrorism. He also highlighted the contributions to regional peace and stability. Moreover, Pak-Russia relations are on a positive trajectory, as suggested, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations release. The Pak-Russia relations are on the road to continue towards improvement in multiple domains. The Joint drills will create a bond of trust.
On Tuesday, Lavrov arrived in Pakistan from India, with whom Moscow has a long and solid friendship. The re-establishment of Pakistani-Russian ties, on the other hand, is a more recent phenomenon. Russia will also contribute to help to build a gas pipeline connecting Karachi and Lahore. Pakistan, according to Qureshi, also wants Russian help to modernize its railway system and energy market.
Russia\’s Foreign Minister Commits to Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation through Joint Drills
The Russian Foreign Minister expressed his gratitude for Qureshi\’s warm welcome. Not only this, he further reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in joint drills and in areas of mutual concern. He referred to cooperation such as bilateral economic, trade, and defence cooperation.
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