President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrived Tuesday to Russia for a visit during which is set to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian news agency Itar Tass reported.
This is Sisi’s first official visit as president to Russia, the first being made as a defense minister last February.
He was received by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and is scheduled to convene with Putin at his presidential office in Sochi.
Itar Tass said both leaders are expected to tackle economic, educational, scientific and tourist cooperation. In addition, both will discuss regional issues such as the situation in Gaza, Iraq, and Libya.
A Kremlin statement had noted that commercial exchange between both countries stood at US$3 billion in 2013.
Russian grain imports account for 40 percent of Egypt’s grain consumption.
Some observers believe Egypt is tilting towards strengthening relations with Russia, the United State’s arch political foe, in response to the latter’s hesitant declaration of support for the authorities that ousted former president Mohamed Morsy in 2013.
Russia had been a vocal supporter of Sisi’s ouster of Morsy.
Egypt has reiterated it seeks balanced international relations, stressing that its relations with Russia are not at the expense of ties with the US.
