Cairo: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is visiting Egypt, to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation, as well as a host of regional and international issues of common concern.

According to Qatar News Agency, in a statement released today, the Egyptian Presidency said that during the meeting, El-Sisi expressed his appreciation for the trajectory of strategic relations between Egypt and Russia, which are witnessing continuous growth in various political, economic, and trade fields. He emphasized the importance of further enhancing cooperation, particularly regarding the project to establish a Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the Dabaa nuclear power plant project, in addition to other strategic cooperation initiatives between the two countries.

For his part, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed his country's desire to continue working with Egypt to elevate the strategic relationship between the two countries to broader horizons, and to build upon the understandings reached between the two presidents to develop bilateral relations during the Egyptian President's visit to Russia last May.

The meeting addressed the situations in the Gaza Strip, Sudan, and Libya, where the need to stop the war in Gaza, consolidate the ceasefire, and prevent escalation in the region was emphasized, while preserving the sovereignty of countries, the integrity of their territories, and the resources of their people.