Putin says Russia is ready to hold more talks with Ukraine, return more bodies
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the Eurasian Economic Union summit, in Minsk, Belarus June 27, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
DPM Fadillah concludes Central Asian visits, nuclear energy revival on the horizon
MOSCOW: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has concluded his eight-day working visit to Uzbekistan and Russia, marking a pivotal step in Malaysia's renewed efforts to strengthen strategic international partnerships. The visit focused on the potential revival of Malaysia's nuclear energy programme, alongside collaboration in the halal economy, tourism, energy investments and Islamic finance. A key milestone was the signing of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between MyPower Corporation, a special-purpose agency under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), and the Russian state atomic energy agency Rosatom. The agreement paves the way for potential cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology, as Malaysia re-evaluates its long-term energy strategy. As Malaysia advances its National Energy Transition Roadmap, nuclear energy is being seriously considered as a reliable, clean baseload option to diversify the energy mix and achieve long-term climate and energy security goals. Malaysia previously had a robust nuclear development agenda, including plans to commission two nuclear power plants by 2021. However, these plans were shelved, and the Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation was disbanded in 2018. Today, amid increasing pressure to decarbonise and diversify its energy sources, nuclear energy is once again under consideration as a viable low-carbon option. A recently completed pre-feasibility study yielded encouraging findings, prompting the government to explore implementation pathways that align fully with global safety, security and non-proliferation standards. The visit also reinforced Malaysia's global halal leadership. Both Uzbekistan and Russia expressed strong interest in leveraging Malaysia's well-established halal ecosystem. Additionally, the Uzbek government extended a formal invitation to Malaysia's national oil and gas company, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), to consider reinvesting in the republic's energy sector. Petronas had exited Uzbekistan in 2013, but new opportunities in exploration and upstream development have emerged as Uzbekistan seeks to revitalise its energy landscape. Tourism ties were boosted by AirAsia X's launch of direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Tashkent, operating three times weekly. Recognising the potential to further enhance travel and trade, Fadillah encouraged AirAsia X to expand its route to include Samarkand, a historic Silk Road city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering added value for both leisure and cultural tourism. Uzbekistan is also keen to collaborate with Malaysia on carbon trading, and has expressed interest in tapping Malaysia's extensive experience in developing the sukuk market — an area in which Malaysia is widely recognised as a global leader in Islamic finance.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
DPM Fadillah concludes Central Asian visits, nuclear energy revival on the horizon
MOSCOW: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof has concluded his eight-day working visit to Uzbekistan and Russia, marking a pivotal step in Malaysia's renewed efforts to strengthen strategic international partnerships. The visit focused on the potential revival of Malaysia's nuclear energy programme, alongside collaboration in the halal economy, tourism, energy investments and Islamic finance. A key milestone was the signing of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between MyPower Corporation, a special-purpose agency under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), and the Russian state atomic energy agency Rosatom. The agreement paves the way for potential cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear technology, as Malaysia re-evaluates its long-term energy strategy. As Malaysia advances its National Energy Transition Roadmap, nuclear energy is being seriously considered as a reliable, clean baseload option to diversify the energy mix and achieve long-term climate and energy security goals. Malaysia previously had a robust nuclear development agenda, including plans to commission two nuclear power plants by 2021. However, these plans were shelved, and the Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation was disbanded in 2018. Today, amid increasing pressure to decarbonise and diversify its energy sources, nuclear energy is once again under consideration as a viable low-carbon option. A recently completed pre-feasibility study yielded encouraging findings, prompting the government to explore implementation pathways that align fully with global safety, security and non-proliferation standards. The visit also reinforced Malaysia's global halal leadership. Both Uzbekistan and Russia expressed strong interest in leveraging Malaysia's well-established halal ecosystem. Additionally, the Uzbek government extended a formal invitation to Malaysia's national oil and gas company, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), to consider reinvesting in the republic's energy sector. Petronas had exited Uzbekistan in 2013, but new opportunities in exploration and upstream development have emerged as Uzbekistan seeks to revitalise its energy landscape. Tourism ties were boosted by AirAsia X's launch of direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Tashkent, operating three times weekly. Recognising the potential to further enhance travel and trade, Fadillah encouraged AirAsia X to expand its route to include Samarkand, a historic Silk Road city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering added value for both leisure and cultural tourism. Uzbekistan is also keen to collaborate with Malaysia on carbon trading, and has expressed interest in tapping Malaysia's extensive experience in developing the sukuk market — an area in which Malaysia is widely recognised as a global leader in Islamic finance.
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Malaysia, Russia to deepen economic ties
MOSCOW: Malaysia and Russia will deepen economic cooperation, particularly in high-potential sectors such as the halal industry, agriculture and food security, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said. He said bilateral trade between the two countries remained modest in 2024, despite Russia's large economy. Russia ranked as Malaysia's ninth-largest trading partner among European nations this year, with total trade reaching RM11.46 billion (US$2.48 billion). Malaysia's key exports to Russia include electrical and electronic products, machinery, equipment and parts, as well as processed food. "I invited Russian companies to invest in Malaysia and take advantage of the government's incentives in strategic sectors such as aerospace, agrotechnology, energy, ICT (information and communications technology), the digital economy, Islamic finance and the halal industry," he said at a press conference at the end of his four-day working visit to Russia late last night. Fadillah, who is also the energy transition and water transformation minister, called for cooperation in agriculture and food security, and proposed joint research and development in fertiliser and pesticide technologies, agro-engineering and food technology. "I discussed collaboration in higher education and conveyed appreciation to the Russian government for its scholarships to Malaysian students. "I also proposed that these scholarships be extended to emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, big data and information science, in line with current industrial transformation," he said. On tourism, Fadillah said Malaysia welcomed a proposal for direct flights between the two countries, which is expected to be finalised soon. However, he said that Russia had raised concerns over financial transactions, which had to some extent hampered the growth of bilateral trade. He gave an assurance that the Malaysian government, through the relevant agencies, including Bank Negara Malaysia, would continue to facilitate smooth financial transactions between both sides. "I will present the outcomes of my discussions with Russian counterparts to the cabinet upon my return to Malaysia. "Insya-Allah, I am confident that Malaysia-Russia cooperation will continue to develop positively and bring tangible benefits to our country," he added. – Bernama
