Before the talks, Vladimir Putin and Abdullah II reviewed military hardware on display at the Army 2021 International Military Technical Forum in the Patriot military patriotic park.
* * *
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Your Majesty, welcome to Moscow and to this, now annual, exhibition, the seventh [Army 2021 forum] military exhibition, and the Army Games.
We have just had a brief opportunity to review some of the weapons used by the Russian armed forces and exported to other countries.
As I have said today during the opening of the exhibition and the Army Games, direct contacts with colleagues from foreign armies bring us closer and build trust. Perhaps it is even more important than showcasing weapons, although that also plays a part in strengthening stability.
Your Majesty, I would like to start this meeting by saying that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, our relations are developing across all areas. This is true of our political dialogue and our trade and economic links. Russia and Jordan have an intergovernmental commission. The head of its Russian chapter, the Minister of Agriculture [Dmitry Patrushev] is here today.
We are working together to overcome both the pandemic and its consequences.
We are delighted to see you here, Your Majesty. Welcome.
Of course, we hope to share views on the most pressing issues, including the matters that we have been working on together for many years: normalising the situation in Syria and the recent escalation in Afghanistan.
Welcome.
King Adbullah II of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan: Mr President, thank you very much for the wonderful hospitality. It is always good to see you back here in Moscow, and, again, to be able to participate in one of your very important military exhibitions.
As you always know, Sir, we look tremendously to the role that you and Russia play in our region as an element of stability with the challenges that we have.
Our bilateral relations continue to improve, and I think that coming out of the pandemic, there are many opportunities with agriculture as well as mining research in Jordan that we are now going to develop with the private sector from your country.
Also, we are here exploring the possibility of medical cooperation on vaccine production in the near future.
But I think more important, as you alluded to, Sir, are the challenges that we have in Syria, where you play, I think, the most stable role in being able to move that process forward. And, again, your historical role in the Middle East peace process. Having met the new Israeli government, I believe that we can be back to talking about how to improve the lives of the Palestinians, but again, with the strong role that you played in that particular aspect, the chance of maybe getting the Israelis and Palestinians to at least start talking to each other.
We are all watching the unfolding developments in Afghanistan with great concern, but, Sir, I think we have always fought against extremism, and unfortunately over the past year of the pandemic, plus what is happening in Afghanistan, I think we have to re-coordinate our role in being able to take the fight back to extremism, not just in our part of the world but for the field also.
We are also very thankful, Sir, for the support in getting the Sputnik vaccine to Jordan: this is ongoing, and we are very grateful for the role that you played in helping us fight the pandemic.
(In Russian.) Thank you.