Meeting with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Mirziyoyev,

Thank you for finding the time to come to St Petersburg for the international economic forum. You are a guest of honour, and tomorrow we will have an opportunity to discuss various issues and bilateral economic relations in the public sphere, as well as the situation in the region and the world. We are interested to hear your views on the current developments in the economy.

Today, we will also attend an exciting event - the ground-breaking ceremony for a large and ambitious project, Uzbekistan's first nuclear power plant built to a Russian design. I know that you have been personally working on it for a long time.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev Mirziyoyev ShavkatPresident of the Republic of Uzbekistan : Yes, for a long time.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, scrutinising the details took a long time. I am confident that you have chosen the best option for Uzbekistan out of all those offered.

Overall, our economies are developing successfully. We are pleased with what is taking place in Uzbekistan's economy under your guidance. Our trade is growing; it increased by over 12 percent last year, which is a very good indicator.

We maintain regular contacts with you, and there is always much to discuss because the scope of our relations keeps growing. This also concerns mutual investments. Russian investments in Uzbekistan are growing dynamically and have gained good momentum. Most importantly, both elements are benefiting our countries.

We are delighted to see you again. Welcome.

To be continued.