Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin in the sidelines of the regular session of the Council of CIS Heads of State.

Russian President Vladimir Putin - Dear Nikol Vladimirovich, dear colleagues, friends,

We are very happy to host you in Moscow, and hold a bilateral meeting within the framework of the work of the leaders of the CIS countries. In our private conversation, we discussed current issues with Nikol Vladimirovich, but with such an expanded composition there is an opportunity to talk about all fundamental issues that are of mutual interest, and of course, we can start with issues of an economic nature.

Trade and economic relations are developing quite efficiently and successfully. Last year, trade turnover reached 7.4 billion dollars, and in the first half of this year it increased 2.5 times, reaching 8.2 billion dollars. If we continue to move at such pace, it means that this year's trade turnover may reach 14-16 billion dollars. That's a record high figure.

Russia is the leading foreign investor in Armenia's economy, the investments make about 4 billion dollars. And what happens within the framework of the intergovernmental commission and the business council gives a correspondingly good result. Of course, humanitarian cooperation is very important, we will now talk about it in detail, dear Nikol Vladimirovich, here we need to add some things related to the educational framework. We will now give the floor to our colleagues and discuss this in detail. Welcome once again.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan - Thank you Vladimir Vladimirօvich. In recent months, we have had quite an active political dialogue, Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk arrived in Yerevan, not only the meeting of the intergovernmental commission took place, but also we talked in detail about all the issues on our agenda.

At the beginning of October, the session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council was held in Yerevan, within the framework of which we discussed in detail issues related to our cooperation with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin. And today, of course, is a good opportunity to sum up those discussions and I am happy for that opportunity. Thank you.

Russian President Vladimir Putin - Thank you Nikol Vladimirovich, I am looking forward to your visit to Kazan in the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan - Thank you.

Russian President Vladimir Putin - I hope it will be useful and interesting, it will be possible to talk with many colleagues who plan to participate in the summit.