(Updated: )
Russian leader Vladimir Putin arrived in Uzbekistan's capital on May 26 to hold discussions with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations.
Putin paid his respects by laying a wreath at the Monument of Independence in Tashkent and engaged in what the Kremlin described as informal talks with Mirziyoyev. The formal meeting between the two leaders is scheduled for May 27.
This visit marks Putin's third international trip since his inauguration for the fifth presidential term, secured in the March election broadly seen as rigged.
His first trip was to China, where he praised China's "active efforts to find a political solution" to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war and claimed that Moscow is seeking a "settlement of this conflict through peaceful means." Putin then went to Belarus where
he reportedly planned to discuss the possible involvement of the Belarusian military in Russia's non-strategic nuclear drills.
Belarus has been a key ally to Moscow and supported Russian aggression against Ukraine, though it has not committed its own forces directly to hostilities. The country is also reportedly hosting Russian tactical nuclear arms on its territory.
In preparation for the Uzbekistan visit, Putin and Mirziyoyev discussed a range of bilateral cooperation topics, including trade and economic relations, according to the Kremlin.
Martin Fornusek
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