Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is embarking on a working visit to Kyrgyzstan. In Bishkek, he will participate in meetings for the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), in addition to holding various individual meetings.
This visit follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Kyrgyzstan two weeks earlier, during which he engaged with his CIS counterparts in both group and one-on-one settings.
On the first day of his visit, the Russian prime minister has bilateral engagements scheduled. Specifically, he will meet with Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang. Their previous encounter occurred in May when Mishustin visited China, resulting in the signing of five agreements. These agreements included provisions for enhancing interregional trade in services and promoting joint corporate initiatives.
During his recent visit to China, President Putin announced that the two governments would sign a cooperation plan between Moscow and Beijing that extends until 2030 in Bishkek. Putin emphasized that this document was developed swiftly, with discussions initiated in March following Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia. The plan's formulation involved five intergovernmental commissions, focusing on investment, energy, humanitarian cooperation, fostering interaction between Russia's Far East and China's Northeast, and facilitating regular meetings between the two countries' heads of government.
The Russian prime minister also highlighted that during the autumn meeting, he and his Chinese counterpart will address the objectives set by the leaders of both nations.
Cooperation with Iran and Mongolia
Mikhail Mishustin is also scheduled to engage in discussions with Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene on Wednesday. In a prior meeting with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko, who chairs a specialized intergovernmental commission on the Russian side, Oyun-Erdene emphasized that cooperation with Russia holds a prominent place in Mongolia's foreign policy priorities.
Recent high-level interactions have taken place between Moscow and Ulaanbaatar as well. During the Belt and Road forum in Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with the leader of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. Their discussions covered energy-related matters, particularly the potential development of the Power of Siberia - 2 gas pipeline, which is slated to traverse Mongolia en route to China.
Additionally, on Wednesday, the Russian prime minister will convene with Iran's First Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber. Their last meeting took place in October 2022 during the II Caspian Economic Forum in Moscow. During that encounter, the Russian prime minister underlined that "the most effective response to pressure from sanctions is to expand Russian-Iranian collaboration." Conversely, Mokhber affirmed Iran's readiness to share its experiences in countering such pressures.
EEU, CIS and SCO meetings
On Thursday, Mishustin will continue his working agenda in Bishkek, where he will participate in meetings of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS, and the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. These meetings are expected to cover a broad range of topics related to expanding cooperation. Several multilateral agreements are anticipated to be signed as an outcome of these discussions.
Mishustin's last visit to Kyrgyzstan took place in August 2022 when he engaged in meetings of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and held discussions with counterparts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, including Nikol Pashinyan, Ali Asadov, Roman Golovchenko, Alikhan Smailov, and Akylbek Zhaparov. Notably, these events occurred not in Bishkek but in Cholpon-Ata, located on the shores of Lake Issyk-Kul.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS