Putin meets Egypt’s el-Sissi as trade ties grow

Russian President Vladimir Putin held separate talks with his Egyptian and Brazilian counterparts on Friday after attending the Victory Day parade marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.

With Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Putin praised the economic cooperation between Egypt and Russia, saying that trade turnover reached a record $9 billion last year and keeps growing. “It is known that during the war, very important military events unfolded on Egyptian territory," said Putin. "The country became a base for our allies in the anti-Hitler coalition in North Africa." “The common fight against Nazism contributed to the establishment of relations between our countries.”

During the meeting with Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Putin thanked him for visiting Russia and noted that "relations are developing steadily" between the two countries. "You always find an opportunity to personally welcome Russian representatives when they come to Brazil on working visits," Putin said to da Silva. "Bilateral trade is developing." "I would like to note that Brazil accounts for a significant share of our trade with Latin America and the Caribbean."

Russia marked the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II with a massive military parade on Red Square on Friday attended by a host of foreign leaders, including China's Xi Jinping. Victory Day, which is celebrated in Russia on May 9, is the country’s most important secular holiday. The parade and other ceremonies underline Moscow’s efforts to project its global power and cement the alliances it has forged while seeking a counterbalance to the West amid the conflict in Ukraine that has dragged into a fourth year.