Malaysia's King To Make Landmark Russia State Visit

(CNA): Malaysia’s king will make a landmark visit to Russia and meet with President Vladimir Putin, as both countries look to forge deeper bilateral ties amid shifting global alignments.

Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s trip from Tuesday (Aug 5) to Aug 10 is at Putin’s invitation, the palace said in a statement on Saturday. It will be the first state visit by a Malaysian monarch to Russia since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1967.

Sultan Ibrahim will be accorded a state welcome ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, followed by a meeting with Putin on Aug 6. The Malaysian king will also attend a state banquet hosted by the Russian leader, said Istana Negara.

After Moscow, Sultan Ibrahim will travel to Kazan in Tartarstan, one of Russia’s autonomous republics with a Muslim-majority population. While there, he will meet with local leaders and tour a helicopter manufacturing and assembly facility.

As the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Malaysia will also play a major role in enhancing strategic cooperation, especially in the context of Russia’s status as an ASEAN dialogue partner since 1996.