Putin paid his respects by laying a wreath at the Monument of Independence in Tashkent and engaged in what the Kremlin described as informal talks with Mirziyoyev. This visit marks Putin's third international trip since his inauguration for the fifth presidential term, secured in the March election broadly seen as rigged. Putin then went to Belarus wherehe reportedly planned to discuss the possible involvement of the Belarusian military in Russia's non-strategic nuclear drills. The country is also reportedly hosting Russian tactical nuclear arms on its territory. In preparation for the Uzbekistan visit, Putin and Mirziyoyev discussed a range of bilateral cooperation topics, including trade and economic relations, according to the Kremlin.

Source: International New York Times May 27, 2024 12:56 UTC