Pakistan PM Imran Khan to visit Russia on Feb 23 amid Ukraine crisis

Moscow: Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov on Sunday announced Imran Khan`s maiden visit to Russia on February 23-24, the first such trip by a Pakistani prime minister in 23 years.

Imran Khan will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit.

"Yes," Peskov said, when asked about Khan`s two-day visit to Russia and the meeting with Putin, Sputnik reported.

This is the first time a Pakistani prime minister will be visiting Russia since 1999. In March 1999, then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was the country`s last premier to visit Russia.

This comes after reports emerged last month that Moscow and Islamabad are in talks to finalise a plan for Russian President Vladimir Putin`s visit this year.

Imran Khan has already extended a formal invitation to Putin, The Express Tribune newspaper had said in its report, adding that Pakistan PM reiterated the invitation to him during his telephonic conversation last month.

The Pakistani newspaper had said Putin`s visit was under discussion for the last two years but could not materialise because of several reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic.

Moscow also wants that there must be "big-ticket projects" or other initiatives that the Russian president would announce when he finally undertakes the trip to Pakistan, according to the report.