Banned from the international scene by Westerners, Vladimir Putin has his allies.

The Russian president thus praised this Wednesday the “positive” relations between Moscow and Burma by welcoming the head of the Burmese junta to Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East.

“Burma is our reliable and long-standing partner in Southeast Asia (…) Our relations are developing in a positive way”, declared Vladimir Putin during this meeting which took place on the sidelines of the Russian Eastern Economic Forum.

Putin "leader of the world"

Min Aung Hlaing for his part did not fail to be dithyrambic on the master of the Kremlin.

"It looks like you are not the leader of Russia, but the leader of the world, because you control and organize stability around the world," said the Burmese leader, according to his words translated into Russian and published in a statement from the Russian Presidency.

The two leaders "discussed cooperation between their country in a friendly and open manner", for its part indicated the Burmese junta.

The Burmese official's visit comes as the two governments, facing tensions with Western countries, have grown closer in recent months.

Moscow is targeted by heavy economic sanctions because of its offensive in Ukraine.

And since a putsch overthrew the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, Burma has faced Western sanctions and a deterioration in its diplomatic relations.

Min Aung Hlaing should not be invited to the summit of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which is being held in Phnom Penh in November, its members being dissatisfied with the absence of progress in resolving the Burmese political crisis.


The putsch plunged the country into chaos.

Nearly 2,100 civilians were killed by security forces and more than 15,000 arrested, according to a local NGO.

Since February, Myanmar's ruling generals have sought to strengthen ties with Moscow, their main ally and arms supplier, declaring that Russian military operations in Ukraine are "justified".

The head of the junta thus went on a “private visit” to Moscow in July, where he would have met officials from the nuclear sector and the Russian space agency Roscosmos.

According to the Kremlin, a trip to the Russian Vostotchny cosmodrome in the Russian Far East is planned as part of this new visit by Min Aung Hlaing.

World

Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi sentenced to three additional years in prison for electoral fraud

World

Burma: The Burmese junta executes four men including two opposition figures

  • World

  • Russia

  • Video

  • Burma

  • Vladimir Poutine

  • Junta