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Egypt is keen on further strengthening its strategic partnership with Russia in the fuel and energy complex, Egypt’s Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Karim Badawi has said. He has been meeting with Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev during a Russian State Duma delegation visit to Cairo.
The talks involved Duma Energy Committee Chairman Nikolai Shulginov, who announced the Duma members’ working trip to Egypt to discuss a legal framework for bilateral energy cooperation with Egyptian parliamentarians. Tsivilev said that “Russia remains Egypt’s reliable partner in mining projects. Russian companies are interested in long-term operation on the Egyptian market.”
Russia has several on-going projects in Egypt, including the long-awaited Russian Industrial Zone at Port Said which would facilitate the joint Russian-Egypt manufacturing of products for both export to the larger African market as well as potentially, Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union.
Egypt is in the final stages of negotiating a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Six rounds of negotiations have taken place to create a free trade zone, aiming to reduce duties to zero on over 95% of exports. It is expected to be signed later this year.
Russia is also involved in Egypt’s nuclear energy sector, with Russia committed to long-term supplies of reactor fuel and maintenance of Egypt’s nuclear power plant at El Dabaa.
The two sides are also involved in the oil sector with Russia drilling several blocs in the Sinai region. The Russian state-owned company Zarubezhneft has joined two major offshore oil blocks—South East Ras El Ush and East Gebel El Zeit—with resources estimated at over 200 million barrels. In August 2025, it signed a US$14 million deal to drill four wells in the onshore North El-Khatatba block in the Nile Delta.
Lukoil was awarded the South Wadi El-Sahl block in the Eastern Desert last year, committing to invest US$22.5 million to drill six exploratory wells. It also operates in the West Esh El Mallaha (WEEM) concession.
Beyond oil, Russia is involved in major Egyptian gas projects. Rosneft holds a 30% stake in the Zohr gas field, the Mediterranean’s largest, which has received specific sanctions exemptions from the UK to continue operations.
