Islamabad: Pakistan and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, connectivity, and other key areas. The two nations also aim to enhance coordination at multilateral forums.

According to Radio Pakistan, this commitment was expressed during a meeting between Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila. The meeting took place ahead of the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting.

The leaders reviewed the state of Pakistan-Russia bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of sustained high-level engagement to advance their partnership. They also discussed key regional and international developments, agreeing to maintain close contact moving forward.