Vladimir Putin. Photo: Gavriil Grigorov / AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun an official visit to Turkmenistan, where he will address an international conference in the capital Ashgabat. This was reported by the Russian press service on Friday, according to Reuters.
A video released by the Kremlin showed Putin arriving at the conference in a limousine, where he greeted Turkmen President Serdar Berdymukhamedov warmly.
Among other leaders expected to attend the event is Iranian President Massoud Peseshkian. Putin plans to hold a bilateral meeting with him to discuss the situation in the Middle East, according to the Kremlin.
Moscow and Tehran strongly condemn Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, as well as the bombing of Lebanon and Syria. At the same time, the Kremlin refrained from criticising Iran’s response to the rocket attacks on Israel.
In September, Putin ordered the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Iran, immediately after the West imposed new sanctions on Tehran, accusing it of supplying ballistic missiles to Russia.
