Russian Deputy PM hails Thailand as oldest ASEAN ally, eyes boost in bilateral trade

Deputy prime minister of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Patrushev, has reaffirmed Thailand’s status as Russia’s oldest partner in Southeast Asia, signaling a commitment to expand bilateral trade following high-level talks in Bangkok.

Today, Patrushev met with Thailand’s Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Thailand.

During the discussion, Patrushev emphasised the deep historical ties between the two nations, noting that next year will mark the 130th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations.

"I am hopeful that we will continue to maintain and strengthen our political, commercial and economic ties across all sectors," said Patrushev.

Patrushev also highlighted a significant upward trend in bilateral trade, observing that the exchange of agricultural and food products between Russia and Thailand had grown by more than 15% over the past year.

He expressed strong confidence that Russia is ready to increase its export volume to the Thai market to meet growing demand.

A key point of the discussion centered on the supply of chemical fertilisers, a critical commodity for Thailand's agricultural sector.

Both parties expressed optimism that the meeting would serve as a catalyst for deeper bilateral cooperation, ensuring stability in food and resource exchanges.