President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Saint Petersburg for a two-day working visit, headlined by a meeting with Malaysia's King Sultan Ibrahim, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"The president is working in Saint Petersburg today and tomorrow," Peskov told reporters. "Today, he will meet with Supreme Head of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim, who is visiting the Russian Federation on a private visit. Their meeting will be held at the Hermitage."
"As usual, there will be a short excursion, and Piotrovsky will provide his traditional commentary," Peskov said. "As you know, Putin himself is very knowledgeable about the museum and enjoys showing it to his guests."
Despite the informal setting, the Kremlin is focused on the diplomatic weight of the encounter. "The most important part, of course, will be their one-on-one conversation," the spokesman concluded.
This meeting follows the sultan’s formal state visit to Moscow last August, where the two leaders held broad negotiations at the Kremlin. While in Saint Petersburg, Putin is also scheduled to hold separate working meetings with the governors of the city and the Leningrad region.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS