Anwar Ibrahim and Putin Discuss Oil and Local Currency Use

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan, Russia. In a statement quoted in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Anwar said the meeting discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation, including the potential to strengthen ties in the energy sector, which is a strategic area for both Malaysia and Russia, as well as the use of local currencies in bilateral trade transactions. “I touched on efforts to expand economic cooperation, including welcoming Russia’s commitment to provide long-term cooperation in energy and oil supply,” Anwar said. Anwar and Putin also exchanged views on opportunities to strengthen cooperation in new technologies, cybersecurity, digital, artificial intelligence (AI), modern agriculture, and pharmaceuticals. “The discussion also covered efforts to facilitate people’s mobility through visa abolition, as well as exploring mechanisms to expand bilateral trade and investment using local currencies (ringgit and rubel),” Anwar explained. On the same occasion, Anwar also praised President Putin’s consistent and principled stance in voicing his views on the Gaza and Iran issues. Anwar said his administration will continue to take strategic and proactive steps to strengthen national energy resilience, including through international cooperation that can guarantee stability, sustainability, and security of energy supply for the people’s benefit.