Min Aung Hlaing met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, declaring Myanmar a reliable ally of Russia in Southeast Asia. They signed 12 cooperation agreements covering energy, oil, gas, satellite, and space sectors.
On 20 Aug 2026 GMT+7, General Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military leader, visited Moscow and met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since officially becoming Myanmar's president in April. He affirmed that Myanmar would remain a trusted Russian ally in Southeast Asia and pledged to support Russia's interests in the region.
During talks at the Kremlin, Myanmar's leader said Myanmar's current development has greatly benefited from Russian support. He stated Myanmar is ready to advance cooperation with Russia in various areas, not only in defense and security but also in agriculture, industry, science and technology, space, and public health.
Putin welcomed Min Aung Hlaing as a "dear friend," highlighting energy as a key area of bilateral cooperation. He discussed the possibility of exporting Russian liquefied natural gas to Myanmar for domestic use and onward export. He also mentioned plans to build a nuclear power plant in Myanmar and develop a deep-sea port in the city of Dawei, which would provide Russia with access to the Indian Ocean.
During this meeting, both sides signed 12 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) covering cooperation in electricity, oil and gas, telecommunications, satellite navigation, and space affairs.
Russia and Myanmar have steadily strengthened strategic cooperation since Myanmar’s military, led by Min Aung Hlaing, seized power from the elected government in February 2021. Russia views Myanmar as a crucial gateway to expanding its influence into the Asia-Pacific region.
Source: Irrawaddy