WEB DESK
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Uzbekistan’s historic city of Samarkand on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
Putin, his Chinese, Turkish and Iranian counterparts, the prime ministers of Pakistani and India and other leaders have gathered at Samarkand to attend the annual meeting of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Samarkand Thursday morning. He is scheduled to hold important meetings with several world leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
During their meeting Thursday afternoon, President Putin expressed warmth towards Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the meeting.
Photos released by Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office showed Putin warmly welcoming Shehbaz Sharif with a broad smile on his face.
The two leaders reportedly discussed bilateral relations and the regional situations.
It is Shehbaz Sharif’s first meeting with Putin since he replaced Imran Khan, who had met the Russian president in February a day before Moscow invaded Ukraine.
Earlier, at the airport PM Shehbaz was received by Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Minister for Public Education Bakhtiyor Saidov, Governor Samarkand Erkinjon Turdimov and Deputy Foreign Minister Gayrat Fozilov.
