Moscow: Upon directives from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty, met on Thursday, April 2, 2026, with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his official visit to Moscow to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations and developments in regional issues of mutual interest. Abdelatty conveyed greetings from President El Sisi to President Putin and handed him a written message from the Egyptian president.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the message addressed ways to develop bilateral relations, strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, and maintain coordination on regional and international issues of common concern. During the meeting, the minister expressed Egypt’s high appreciation for the strategic partnership with Russia, reflected in ongoing reciprocal visits and interactions between the leadership and officials of both countries.
President Putin, in turn, asked Abdelatty to convey his greetings and deep appreciation to President Sisi, praising the strong Egyptian-Russian relations, fruitful cooperation across various fields, and commending the constructive role of the Egyptian President in supporting security and stability in the Middle East.
Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Tamim Khalaf said the top diplomat discussed with Putin various aspects of bilateral relations, emphasizing the importance Egypt places on the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant, expressing commitment to its implementation within the planned timeframe as a national project. The discussion also covered the Russian industrial zone project within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, highlighting it as a key milestone in bilateral cooperation, and expressing anticipation for the upcoming joint working group meetings between the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority and the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade to agree on financing channels and implementation mechanisms for the project.
Abdelatty also praised the ongoing cooperation between the two countries in importing wheat, grains, and oils from Russia, affirming Egypt’s interest in maintaining this close commercial partnership. He expressed hope that the Russian side would consider participating in the launch of the Grain Logistics Center project.
The meeting addressed several regional issues, foremost among them the escalating military tensions in the Middle East. Abdelatty reviewed Egypt’s intensive diplomatic efforts to reduce the escalation, noting that pursuing diplomatic solutions and de-escalation is the optimal approach to prevent the conflict from widening. He also highlighted the outcomes of the recent quadrilateral ministerial meeting held in Islamabad, Pakistan, affirming Egypt’s continued commitment to supporting regional security and stability.
The discussion included the implications of military escalation, particularly its effects on freedom of navigation, supply chains, food security-including the flow of grains and agricultural inputs-and energy security amid fluctuating oil and energy prices. Regarding developments in the Palestinian issue, the foreign minister outlined Egypt’s persistent efforts to restore calm and stability in the Gaza Strip. He emphasized the importance of deploying an international stabilization force and enabling the Gaza Administrative Committee to perform its duties within the territory, paving the way for the Palestinian Authority to resume its responsibilities, and highlighted Egypt’s role in training Palestinian police personnel.
The minister also condemned Israel’s blatant violations in the West Bank, including settlement expansion, land confiscation, and the Knesset’s adoption of the law imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners. The meeting addressed developments in Libya, where Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s firm stance supporting Libya’s unity and stability and the need to unify its national institutions. He stressed the importance of achieving a comprehensive political settlement through a Libyan-led process that meets the aspirations of the Libyan people and supports holding presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously as soon as possible.
Additionally, the meeting touched on developments in the Ukraine crisis, where the Foreign Minister reiterated Egypt’s consistent position advocating for resolving conflicts through peaceful means and dialogue to promote regional security and stability.