Putin says Russia is open to military cooperation with other countries

CNN: Russia is open to military cooperation with other countries, including taking part in joint military training and exercises, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

“We propose to develop cooperation in a variety of areas, including in personnel training, in training foreign military personnel and improving their qualifications, in conducting joint command-staff and other exercises. And we expect that, as before, important agreements and export contracts will be signed on the sidelines of the forum,” Putin said in a video greeting to the participants of the Army-2023 forum near Moscow.

Russia is “open to deepening” equal technological partnerships and military-technical cooperation with other countries “who defend their national interests, their independent path of development and consider it fundamentally important to build together an equal indivisible security system that would reliably protect each state,” Putin added.

“We are also pleased that more and more foreign defense companies are joining the forum,” Putin said. “Last year, 32 foreign participants exhibited their products here. This year, their number has grown to 82.”

The annual International Military-Technical Forum is a platform where prominent Russian military companies present their products. About 1,500 leading Russian defense enterprises are taking part in this year’s forum exhibition and business programs. They will be discussing projects with the Russian Defense Ministry as well as cooperation with other countries, according to state news agency TASS.

About 80 foreign companies and organizations from seven countries plan to participate in the forum, which is organized by the Russian Defense Ministry, according to TASS. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is also attending the forum.