Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan landed in Moscow for a two-day visit — from February 23-24 — to push for the construction of a long-delayed, multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline to be built in collaboration with Russian companies.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Igor Morgulov welcomed the Prime Minister.
While walking on the red carpet, PM Khan said, “What a time I have come, so much excitement.”
“Let me tell you, we are so excited to come to Moscow,” said PM Khan.
PM Khan will see Russian President Vladimir Putin in a one-on-one three-hour-long meeting today at 3pm Pakistan time, amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
The meeting has been extended from one hour to three. Earlier the meeting was to be held for one hour.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday with explosions heard soon after in the capital and other parts of the country.
In an interview ahead of his trip, PM Imran Khan had expressed concern about the situation in Ukraine and the possibility of new sanctions and their effect on Islamabad’s budding cooperation with Moscow.