Russian President Vladimir Putin met Myanmar’s junta leader-turned-president Min Aung Hlaing in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss expanded cooperation in energy, defense and space exploration.
The talks marked the first visit by Min Aung Hlaing to a non-neighbouring country since he assumed the presidency in April, following a parliamentary vote in an election dominated by an army-backed party amid the absence of a viable opposition. Myanmar’s military leadership has faced sustained Western sanctions since seizing power in 2021.
Putin described Min Aung Hlaing as a ‘friend of Russia’ and highlighted ongoing collaboration across multiple sectors. Energy projects featured prominently, with discussions on constructing an oil refinery in Myanmar and expanding hydrocarbon production and exploration, including on the country’s continental shelf. Russian liquefied natural gas supply to Myanmar was also addressed, with potential arrangements for onward transit to other regional markets.
Defense ties remain a cornerstone of the relationship, while space cooperation was noted as an emerging area of engagement. The two leaders last met in the Kremlin last year, when Min Aung Hlaing presented Putin with six elephants and signed an agreement for Russia’s state nuclear corporation to build a small-scale nuclear plant in Myanmar.
Russia and China continue to back Myanmar’s military administration, with Moscow deepening defense ties and seeking opportunities for Russian energy firms in the Southeast Asian nation.
