Русский
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been holding talks with Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to discuss the Israel-Hamas truce, Syria, and collaborations such as the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant joint venture.
The two leaders talked about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, particularly in light of the recent agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, which includes a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops and the release of hostages. Putin commended Egypt’s mediation efforts, alongside those of other countries, for their role in facilitating the accord.
The two presidents also exchanged views on Syria, underscoring the importance of respecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity. They emphasized the need to protect the rights of all Syrian citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations or ethnic and religious backgrounds.
A spokesperson for the Egyptian president said that Sisi and Putin also addressed developments in Ukraine, though no detailed information was provided about this part of the conversation.
The two men reviewed progress on significant collaborative initiatives, including the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear power plant, El Dabaa. Last January, Russian state nuclear power firm Rosatom started building the fourth power unit of El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt. The project, launched in 2017, is being financed jointly by Moscow and Cairo, while the Russian state company will supply nuclear fuel to the facility throughout its life cycle.
They also discussed the long-proposed establishment of a Russian industrial zone near the Suez Canal at Port Said. This would permit the duty-free import of Russian components, and the working of these matched to Egyptian or African-sourced parts to manufacture or assemble finished products, such as in the automobile sector. These could then be exported to other markets in Africa, the BRICS, or the Eurasian Economic Union depending on the suitable trade agreements. Egypt is a member of BRICS and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and is in the final stages of completing a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
Bilateral trade tripled to over US$7 billion in 2024
The Kremlin said that mutual interest in further strengthening friendly Russian-Egyptian relations was emphasized.
Further Reading
BRICS, Russia, and Egypt: 2024 Developments and Implications
