Members of the Russian delegation attending the talks include Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities – Co-Chair of the Russian-Lao Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation Irek Faizullin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin and State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Finance Alexei Sazanov.
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The beginning of Russian-Lao talks
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, friends,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Russia on your official visit. You know our country well, and we know you well, too. We consider you a close friend of Russia.
You have visited Russia many times. Moreover, as is well known, you graduated from the Herzen State Pedagogical Institute in St Petersburg. Last year, you attended the Victory Parade and this year, on the 80th anniversary of Victory, a Lao military contingent marched on Red Square. We are very grateful to you for paying such close attention to these events.
This year, we will mark the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between our countries. The Soviet Union supported the people of Laos in their struggle for independence and helped build the country’s economy and armed forces. This solid historical foundation continues to shape our relations today.
Our trade and economic ties are developing successfully. Last year, trade increased by over 60 percent, or 66 percent, to be more exact, and in the first five months of this year, it is already up by 20 percent.
Russia has a long-standing tradition of giving education to young people from Laos, and we are ready to continue this work and to increase their quota at Russian universities.
We work closely together on international platforms, including the UN and the SCO. We are aware of your interest in cooperation with BRICS.
I know that you have a full and busy agenda during your visit. Several meetings have already taken place, I believe. In September, we look forward to welcoming your Prime Minister to Vladivostok for the Eastern Economic Forum.
Mr President, we are delighted to have you here. Welcome to Russia.
President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith (retranslated): It is a great honour for me to have the opportunity to come to the Russian Federation on an official visit at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the warm, dignified, and hospitable reception extended to me and my delegation.
The year 2025 holds particular significance for the Russian Federation, as it marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. I deeply regret that I was unable to participate in the celebrations due to contracting COVID-19. I was prepared to travel to Russia for the Victory Day commemorations, but testing positive for COVID prevented this. Therefore, I designated the Minister of Foreign Affairs to attend in my stead. I often had the opportunity to participate in the past. I watched the broadcast of the parade on Red Square.
This visit serves as excellent testimony to the fact that we are now commemorating 65 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.
I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with you on multiple occasions, including in Kazan. During this visit, we have the chance to continue discussions on previously agreed arrangements and to further advance our work.
On the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between our countries, the Government and people of Laos wish to present the Russian Federation with a pair of elephants.
Vladimir Putin: They will certainly be an asset to us. Thank you.
Thongloun Sisoulith: These elephants will reside in the zoo in St Petersburg. I studied there in the past. For now, while the elephants are not yet here, if you agree, we will proceed with arrangements for their transportation.
The elephant is a symbol of our ancient country, the Land of a Million Elephants – a symbol of peace and prosperity.
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