Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Sonexay Siphandone on the sidelines of the Russia – ASEAN Summit

Talks with Prime Minister of Laos Sonexay Siphandone.
Photo: Kremlin.ru

Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Sonexay Siphandone on the sidelines of the Russia – ASEAN Summit, Kremlin informs.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister,

I am delighted to see you in Kazan, where the Russia – ASEAN Summit has just concluded. We attached special importance to its success in the year of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Russia-ASEAN relations.

We highly appreciate Vientiane’s unwavering assistance to the development of Russia-ASEAN interaction. I recall our meeting during the Eastern Economic Forum held in Vladivostok in September 2025. I, and all our Russian colleagues, know you as a good friend of our country, with which you have maintained ties since the Soviet era.

Just recently, on May 9, President Sisoulith visited our country for the Victory Day celebrations. We are grateful to him for that gesture of solidarity, as well as for dispatching a unit of the Lao People’s Army to the parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory last year. I have received his message of greetings on Russia Day. Please convey our sincere gratitude for his message along with my best wishes.

We highly value our relations with Laos, which have always been based on friendship, mutual respect and a balance of each other’s interests. Last year, we marked 65 years of our diplomatic relations, and in October this year we will mark 15 years of the Declaration on the Strategic Partnership in the Asia-Pacific Region between our countries.

I know that before the summit you held talks in Moscow where you substantively discussed measures to deepen cooperation in energy, industry, agriculture, exploration and mining, the digital economy, banking, transport, tourism and education.

The signing of an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy is a significant achievement. It provides the necessary legal basis for building a small nuclear power plant to a Russian design in Laos.

We have established successful coordination in the international arena, at the United Nations, and at other international venues. Our countries have close or even aligned approaches on most pressing issues on the global and regional agendas.

New opportunities for cooperation have opened up in 2025, after your country was granted, with Russian support, dialogue partner status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

We are grateful for the decision by the Lao side to donate two animals, two elephants, to Russia – the Head of Tatarstan [Rustam Minnikhanov] told me about this. You can rest assured that they will be kept in the best conditions and will bring very much joy to all animal lovers, all visitors, and future guests to the Kazan Zoo.

I am glad to have today’s opportunity to consult on topical issues on the bilateral agenda.

Thank you.

Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic Sonexay Siphandone (retranslated): First of all, let me express my gratitude to you, Mr President Putin, for this opportunity for me and my delegation to visit your wonderful country on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Russia-ASEAN relations.

This is our second meeting since I had the opportunity to participate in the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September 2025.

I would like to say briefly that we had a meeting on June 15, 2026, in Moscow. We discussed our cooperation and also discussed our future cooperation path. And most importantly, the current meeting is aimed at turning our agreements into a reality. The 2026 meeting had specific goals to comprehensively expand our ties.

On the sidelines of this summit, my delegation and I successfully completed the ceremony of transferring two elephants to the Kazan Zoo. This is a gift from the President of Laos to you and also to the entire people of Russia in celebration of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Laos and Russia, at the same time – on the occasion of Russia Day on June 12.

I sincerely congratulate the people of Russia and you, Mr President, on this occasion. We wish you and all the people of Russia good health, prosperity, and success in fulfilling your high responsibilities.

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