Online Desk:
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India in December, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirmed on Friday. Preparations for the visit will be discussed in the coming months, he told reporters.
Before his India trip, Putin will travel to China from August 31 to September 3 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. He is scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin and hold bilateral talks with Xi. Putin will also join commemorations in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, where he will be the chief guest.
Ushakov said more than 10 meetings are planned for Putin during the SCO summit, with the possibility of additional talks. The Russian president is also expected to meet Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the summit.
Russia’s delegation to China will include three deputy prime ministers, over 10 cabinet ministers, and top business leaders. Among them are Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, and Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev.
Ushakov emphasized that ties between Moscow and Beijing are at their “highest level in history,” noting that the upcoming visit will reaffirm the countries’ strategic partnership.
Meanwhile, Moscow rejected reports in Iranian media alleging that Russia shared intelligence on Tehran’s air defenses with Israel. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the claims “outrageous” and said they were part of a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining Russian-Iranian relations.
Russia condemned recent Israeli strikes on Iran as a violation of international law and reiterated its support for Tehran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy. Moscow and Tehran, both under Western sanctions, signed a strategic cooperation agreement earlier this year to strengthen ties across multiple sectors.