On the sidelines of the BRICS summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold bilateral meetings today with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
This will be Putin’s second meeting with Pezeshkian in a month. They last met on October 11 in Ashgabat, where they discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East. According to presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, today's discussion will focus on the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with Iran, covering all areas of bilateral cooperation.
Putin's meeting with Erdogan will be the second this year, though the two leaders have had six phone calls in 2024. Today's talks are expected to cover prospects for strengthening trade and economic ties, as well as the ongoing project to establish an international gas hub in Turkey.
This will be Putin's first meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed this year. The last time they met was in July 2023 during the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.
Other meetings may also take place on the sidelines of the summit. Putin’s marathon of bilateral talks in Kazan began on Tuesday and will continue through Thursday. It is expected that he will meet with all the heads of delegations attending the summit.
The 16th BRICS summit, a key event of Russia’s presidency in the group, is being held in Kazan from October 22 to 24. Iran and Ethiopia became full members of BRICS on January 1, 2024. While Turkey is not a BRICS member, President Erdogan has expressed a strong desire to enhance cooperation with the bloc. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has also confirmed Ankara’s interest in joining BRICS.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS