Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk on Wednesday arrived in Islamabad on a two-day visit.

On his arrival at the airport, the deputy prime minister, who was accompanied by a high level delegation, was warmly welcomed by Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia Muhammad Khalid Jamali and Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe) Shafqat Ali Khan.

During the visit, Alexei Overchuk will hold extensive talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar besides meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The visit is expected to solidify the growing bilateral relationship between the two countries, building upon the framework outlined in the 4th meeting of the Committee for Development of a Roadmap for Engagement with Russia held on July 19th, 2024.

Energy cooperation is at the forefront of the discussions. Pakistan and Russia are exploring a three-pronged strategy, focusing on procuring crude oil, importing LNG, and developing gas infrastructure in Pakistan. Pakistan successfully imported crude oil from Russia last year, with an initial shipment of 100,000 metric tons.