Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to Moscow for two days from January 29-30 on Sergey Lavrov’s invitation.
The Foreign Office said the foreign minister and his Russian counterpart would discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
A week after Pakistan and Russia agreed to supply Russian crude oil and oil products, Bilawal will meet with Lavrov on January 30.
Even though the Russians are preoccupied with Ukraine, they invited him to discuss the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, a sign of warming relations.
After the annual inter-governmental commission, Islamabad and Moscow agreed to export crude oil in late March on January 20.
Pakistan’s economic crisis makes this a major development.
State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik said Pakistan wants to import 35% of its crude oil from Russia.
Russia’s Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov also said that Pakistan would pay for Russian energy purchases in friendly currencies when they begin in late March.
After agreeing on technical specifications, both countries agreed to structure the oil and gas trade transaction to benefit both countries economically.
The officials also agreed to boost energy cooperation, trade, and infrastructure investment on strategic and favorable terms.
In 2023, both sides will finish a “Comprehensive Plan for Energy Cooperation” to guide future collaboration.
Pakistan and Russia also agreed to strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, energy, communication and transport, higher education, industry, railways, finance and banking, customs, agriculture, science and technology, and information technology.
