Argentine President Alberto Fernández will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin Feb. 3 at midday, in Moscow, to discuss a wide array of issues. In a communiqué today, the Kremlin reported that the two plan to discuss the “state and prospects of further developing the Russian-Argentine comprehensive strategic partnership in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian areas, as well as cooperation in countering the spread of the coronavirus.” They will also “exchange views on current international and regional issues.” The two governments have collaborated closely in combatting the pandemic and Argentina is now producing Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine in the Richmond Laboratories in Buenos Aires, thanks to Russian technology transfer; but it was also a recipient of the Russian vaccine before it developed the ability to produce it domestically, for which Fernández has expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Putin.
Russian Presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov announced in addition that Putin and Fernández plan to discuss cooperation in high-technology and innovation, in such areas as energy–both atomic energy and renewables–the pharmaceutical industry, transportation, infrastructure and trade diversification. He emphasized that Fernández’s visit reflects Russia’s policy of intensifying its cooperation with the “emerging and promising Latin American region, in which Argentina is one of our key partners,” TASS reported.
