Timor-Leste and Russia strengthen bilateral cooperation
DÍLI, 08 October 2026 (TATOLI) – The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas met with the Russian Federation’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, as part of the first official visit by a Timor-Leste Foreign Minister to Russia.
The meeting continued the political dialogue between the two countries and followed the meeting between Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, held in June this year in Kazan on the sidelines of the ASEAN–Russia Commemorative Summit.
During the talks, the two Ministers discussed bilateral relations and opportunities to strengthen cooperation across various sectors, with particular emphasis on energy and mineral resources, fisheries, tourism, education, trade, and investment.
In the field of education, the Russian Federation expressed its readiness to continue providing training opportunities for Timorese citizens at Russian universities and other educational institutions. The two sides also discussed the possibility of resuming training for Timorese diplomats at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
The two countries also agreed to strengthen the legal framework for cooperation and to promote regular consultations between their respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs to ensure more regular bilateral dialogue.
The meeting also addressed ASEAN–Russia cooperation following Timor-Leste’s full accession to the organisation, as well as national preparations for assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029. The two officials reaffirmed their support for ASEAN centrality and discussed ways to strengthen coordination across multilateral forums, including within the United Nations.
The two Ministers also discussed preparations for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and the Russian Federation in May 2027, with initiatives planned to mark the occasion.
The visit to Moscow marks a further step in developing diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and the Russian Federation, established in 2002, and in identifying concrete areas for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
TATOLI
