President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh (retranslated): Mr President,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all, I would like to thank President Vladimir Putin for his official visit to our country to attend the celebrations of the 85th anniversary of our shared victory in the battle on the river Khalkhin Gol, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Ulaanbaatar Railway joint-stock company, a symbol of Mongolian-Russian friendship, and the ongoing celebrations of the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Russia.
We have a long-standing tradition of commemorating this significant anniversary by paying tribute to our soldiers who fought heroically, sacrificing their lives, for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of our two countries. Our goal is to preserve their patriotic feat of valour for the future generations and strengthen the unbreakable bonds of friendship between the peoples of Mongolia and Russia, forged through great achievements in the pursuit of peace and development.
I am pleased to note that the traditionally friendly relations and cooperation between the peoples of our two countries, as eternal neighbours, have become stronger over time and have been given new substance. Today, they have reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Your current visit to Mongolia, Mr President, is of great importance for giving the friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between our two countries specific economic substance, especially for the sake of further development of cooperation in fuel, energy, transport, environment, culture, education, healthcare, and the humanitarian sphere.
During our meetings, we exchanged views and discussed our positions on the current bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation agenda.
Following our talks, the two sides have signed an agreement between the Government of Mongolia and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the supply of oil and oil products, and an agreement to develop project documentation for the reconstruction of TPP-3 in Ulaanbaatar.
We have also focused on the Egiin Gol Hydropower Plant project, which has been under discussion for years, and signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation. I am pleased to announce that the Egiin Gol project got underway thanks to bilateral efforts.
Russia is a major foreign trade partner for our country. The total amount of trade between Mongolia and Russia has been increasing in recent years and measures are being taken to address the trade imbalance.
In particular, Mongolia and the Eurasian Economic Union have agreed to sign a provisional free trade agreement. I believe that this agreement will improve the legal framework for trade between our countries and will create new practical opportunities for expanding our economic cooperation. We approve the sides’ efforts to sign a provisional free trade agreement until the end of this year.
As a result of this, import taxes will be lifted from 375 livestock products, which can be exported to the markets of the EAEU countries.
During our meetings and talks, the sides have also agreed to renew and encourage the implementation of projects included in the programme of the Mongolia-Russia-China economic corridor. This will help create conditions for promoting trilateral cooperation within the Russia-proposed Greater Eurasian Partnership initiative, China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia’s Steppe Road plan.
I would like to express gratitude for the initiative to increase educational possibilities for Mongolian students within the scholarship programme of the Russian Government. It is part of our humanitarian cooperation.
Mongolia stands for developing and expanding cooperation with its eternal neighbour, the Russian Federation, within its peaceful, independent, open and multifaceted foreign policy. We are committed to multifaceted international relations based on plurality and respect for the history, culture, civilisation, national interests and development paths of countries.
We will firmly support the further strengthening of the central and coordinating role of the UN in international affairs.
In other words, our country believes that any problems and differences that may arise in the international community should be settled on the basis of mutual understanding, mutual trust, mutual respect and dialogue within the framework of international law.
We are confident that our eternal neighbour, the Russian Federation, will become a leader in the course of establishing peace, security, sustainable development and well-being of humankind across the globe, and that it will make an invaluable contribution to stronger trust, mutual respect and cooperation between nations.
Mr President,
Your today’s visit to Mongolia today has become a crucial step towards strengthening the traditionally friendly relations and cooperation between our countries, which go down in history, and towards developing and expanding our mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
Mr President, distinguished guests,
Welcome to the Land of the Eternal Blue Sky and ancient history.
Thank you.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, ladies and gentlemen,
We are delighted to mark the 85th anniversary of the victory on the river Khalkhin Gol together with our Mongolian friends. I would like to remind everyone that in 1939, the Soviet Union faithfully fulfilled its allied duty and promptly responded to the Mongolian Government’s request for assistance following the invasion of Japanese militarists.
We pay tribute to the memory, courage, selflessness, fortitude and heroism of the Soviet and Mongolian soldiers. They fought side by side, resolutely repelling the aggressor and defending Mongolia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Their feat also ensured the security of the Soviet Union’s Far Eastern borders during the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War. Over 10,000 Soviet officers and soldiers lost their lives in the bloody battles on Mongolian soil.
I would also like to thank our Mongolian friends for their care and respect for the graves of Soviet soldiers and our shared historical legacy.
I would like to note that the military talent of Georgy Zhukov, the future Marshal of Victory, was revealed on the battlefield in Mongolia. The people of Mongolia remember, know and honour him. Mr President and I will lay flowers at a monument dedicated to this outstanding military commander in Ulaanbaatar. Last week, another monument to Zhukov was unveiled in the city of Choibalsan with the assistance of the Russian Defence Ministry.
The people of Russia also remember and appreciate the contribution of the Mongolian nation to the fight against Nazism and militarism. During the Great Patriotic War, funds raised by Mongolian citizens were used to build fighter aircraft for the Mongolian Arat squadron and tanks that fought gloriously all the way to Berlin together with the Revolutionary Mongolia tank brigade. Mongolia also supplied over 500,000 horses to Soviet forces, which proved to be significant assistance at that time.
Next year, we will celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. We have invited President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh to visit Moscow on Victory Day. We are also discussing the possibility of including a Mongolian military crew in the official parade on Red Square together with Russian service personnel.
I am convinced that our combat brotherhood forged during the grim years of ordeals, as well as long-time traditions of neighbourliness and mutual assistance, will continue to serve as a solid foundation for the friendly Russian-Mongolian relations.
These relations are developing dynamically and becoming stronger in full conformity with the Interstate Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed here, in Ulaanbaatar, exactly five years ago.
Today, during our talks, President Khurelsukh and I reviewed a wide range of political, economic, cultural and humanitarian interactions. We also exchanged opinions on the most topical international and regional issues.
As a result, we have signed a number of bilateral agreements, as you have seen.
Both countries paid great attention to fostering mutually beneficial trade and investment ties. Russia is one of Mongolia’s largest foreign economic partners. In the first seven months of 2024, trade between Russia and Mongolia grew by over 21 percent. It is notable that trade settlements between our two countries are almost entirely denominated in currencies other than the US dollar and the euro.
Further growth of mutual export-import transactions could be facilitated by the development of close ties between Mongolia and the Eurasian Economic Union. Russia has supported the idea of a trade agreement between Mongolia and the EAEU.
The Ulaanbaatar Railway international joint-stock company remains a flagship project showcasing Russia-Mongolia economic cooperation. It has been making a major contribution to Mongolia’s economy for 75 years now. The long-term development programme of the Ulaanbaatar Railway until 2030 is progressing well. The company is increasing its statutory capital and throughput capacity and modernising railway lines. All these measures help increase the volume of both bilateral cargo traffic and transit between Russia and China.
Russia has long been a reliable supplier of energy resources for the Mongolian economy. Over 90 percent of petrol and diesel used by Mongolia in 2023 was imported from Russia. We always respond positively to our Mongolian friends’ requests for assistance in satisfying their growing needs for fuel and lubricants, including on preferential terms.
There are good prospects for our cooperation in the gas sector. We have completed the design documentation for the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline extension, which will run for nearly 1,000 kilometres through Russia, Mongolia and China. The project is at the stage of state expert appraisal and assessment of its potential environmental footprint.
We are not only talking about the transit of Russian gas across Mongolia. We are discussing the potential delivery of gas to Mongolian consumers. Gazprom is ready to provide the necessary assistance when it comes to connecting consumers to the gas supply system.
Our energy cooperation is not limited to the export of hydrocarbons. Russian energy holding Inter RAO hopes to contribute to the modernisation and renovation of the Ulaanbaatar TPP-3, to help install new equipment and increase the plant’s generating capacity threefold. This will improve the reliability of electricity and heat supply in the Mongolian capital. Russia will continue to supply Mongolian consumers with electricity.
We are also open to joint projects in peaceful nuclear development on the basis of latest and safest Russian technologies, including the use of small-module reactors.
During the talks, we discussed humanitarian cooperation as well. Our countries regularly hold cross-country days of culture and Days of Russia-Mongolia Friendship. We also organise joint research and expeditions.
Recently, we have noticeably intensified tourist exchanges. Athletes from Mongolia widely represented their nation at the major international events hosted by Russia such as the BRICS Games, the Children of Asia Games and multi-sport competitions such as the Games of the Future. We are expecting a Mongolian delegation at Russia – Country of Sports International Forum, to be held this October in Ufa.
It has become a tradition that our country is largely involved in training highly qualified professionals for the Mongolian economy. More than 2,000 students from Mongolia are studying in Russian universities. A branch of Plekhanov Russian University of Economics has been successfully operating in Ulaanbaatar for 25 years. Mongolian youth are highly interested in Russian education; this is why every year, Russia allocates one of its biggest scholarship quotas for Mongolia – more than 600 scholarships.
Of course, it is important to us that Mongolians love and learn the Russian language. Over the decades, Mongolia has established a good teaching system that opens up broad opportunities for studying, expanding business, academic and cultural links between our countries. Russia will continue to support the teaching of the Russian language in Mongolia, including in its border regions.
When discussing military, technical and counter-terrorist cooperation, we confirmed that Russia-Mongolia collaboration contributes to the security in Asia.
As we covered the international agenda, we reaffirmed that Russia and Mongolia have similar views on many topical global issues. Our cooperation programme continues.
During this visit, I will also meet with the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Parliament of Mongolia. But even now, I can assure you that the joint work with our Mongolian friends and the agreements reached at this point will facilitate further development of the multidimensional Russia-Mongolia partnership.
I would like to thank Mr Khurelsukh and all our Mongolian friends for the warm welcome and hospitality.
Thank you for the attention.