He said that when two leaders met in the BRICS Summit held in Goa, India last year, they held a lengthy discussion and the trust and friendship developed at the meeting was evident as within a few days of returning to Moscow, President Putin sent the written invitation for a state visit.

Ambassador Dr Weerasinghe expressed confidence on the bilateral discussions scheduled for today would usher in a new era of close cooperation between Sri Lanka and Russia.

During the President’s visit, Sri Lanka and Russia will enter into several new Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) to expand bilateral cooperation in several fields such as energy, trade and commerce, agriculture, education, judiciary and defense.

The visit is expected to strengthen friendship and cooperation further and enhance bilateral trade. President Sirisena is scheduled to meet President Putin, Prime Minister Dimitri Medvedev and other leaders in Kremlin in Red Square.