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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to establish a special mechanism to accelerate the implementation of agreements between Malaysia and Russia, as both countries seek to deepen trade, energy and tourism ties.
Anwar said he proposed the mechanism during a 20-minute bilateral meeting with Putin shortly after arriving in New Delhi, and that the Russian president agreed to it.
“The more important thing is that every agreement reached must immediately be translated into implementation. Therefore, I proposed the establishment of a special mechanism between Malaysia and Russia to coordinate and accelerate the implementation of all agreements, and this proposal was agreed to by President Putin,” Anwar said in a Facebook post today.
The meeting, which began at about 11pm last night, was held in a friendly atmosphere and focused on assessing progress in bilateral relations and setting concrete steps to strengthen cooperation, Anwar said.
Among the key issues discussed was the need to expedite direct flights between Malaysia and Russia and implement previously agreed visa-free travel arrangements to boost tourism, trade and investment.
The two leaders also discussed increasing Malaysian palm oil exports to Russia and exploring ways to double the value of bilateral trade.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said he expressed appreciation for Russia’s support for Malaysia’s energy cooperation, noting that both countries had strengths and expertise that could be leveraged in strategic sectors.
Petronas has engaged with Russian energy giant Rosneft and other companies to advance cooperation in the sector.
According to Russian news agency TASS, Putin said bilateral trade grew by 12.9 per cent last year.
“Last year, trade between our countries grew by 12.9 per cent. That is a good rate,” he was quoted as saying.
Putin also said Moscow placed great importance on relations with Kuala Lumpur in education, science, technology and tourism.
“In today’s conversation, we had an opportunity to discuss priority issues concerning our cooperation in all these areas,” Putin was quoted by TASS as saying.
Anwar also conveyed greetings from His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, to Putin and reiterated the King’s invitation for the Russian president to undertake a state visit to Malaysia.
“The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim conveys His Majesty’s greetings,” Anwar said.
He said the proposed visit could open a new chapter in increasingly close, mature and mutually beneficial Malaysia-Russia relations.
Sultan Ibrahim, who ascended the federal throne on Jan 31, 2024, has made three visits to Russia at Putin’s invitation.
He made his first state visit to Russia in August 2025, followed by a special visit to St Petersburg in January 2026. In May this year, the King travelled to Moscow ahead of Russia’s Victory Day celebrations on May 9.
Anwar arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Russia is a founding member of BRICS, while Malaysia has participated in the grouping as a partner country since Jan 1, 2025.
The meeting with Putin was Anwar’s first bilateral engagement after arriving in New Delhi.
In 2024, ASEAN-Russia trade totalled US$18.1 billion, while Russian foreign direct investment in ASEAN amounted to RM367.90 million (US$92.97 million).
For Malaysia, Russia was its ninth-largest trading partner among European countries in 2025, with total trade valued at RM8.72 billion (US$2.04 billion).
Malaysia’s main exports to Russia include electrical and electronic products, machinery, equipment and parts, and processed food, while major imports comprise petroleum products, minerals, chemicals and chemical-based products. - September 12, 2026
