Putin says Russia open to cooperate with countries 'defending their national interests'

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - President Vladimir Putin on Monday said Russia is open to deepen cooperation with all countries that defend their national interests.

“Russia is open to deepening equal technological partnership and military-technical cooperation with other countries, with everyone who defends their national interests, their independent path of development,” Putin said in a video address to the international military-technical forum Army-2023 in the Moscow region.

Putin said Russia considers the joint building of an “equal indivisible security system” as “fundamentally important,” proposing the development of cooperation in various areas, including personnel training and 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,” he added.

"In fact, we are talking about creating a new independent science-intensive and high-tech industry. And of course, we suggest paying attention to the innovative and civilian products of our defense industry enterprises. These are boats and helicopters, amphibians and drones for the widest range of applications," the Russian leader said.

He said Russia offers its partners a wide range of modern weapons, including “the latest control systems, intelligence, high-precision weapons and robotics.”

Putin hoped the forum will help strengthen “military and military-technical partnership for the benefit of security and stability in the emerging multipolar world.”

The event, in which hundreds of Russian companies of the military-industrial complex will present their products, will end on Sunday.