President Sisi and President Putin Discuss Middle East De-escalation and Strategic Cooperation

Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News

Egypt News

President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Wednesday, October 28, on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa summit. Their talks covered the strategic partnership between the two countries, shared economic and development projects, and regional and international issues, according to Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shennawy.

بدأ اللقاء بين الرئيس فلاديمير بوتين ونظيره المصري عبد الفتاح السيسي في الكرملين على هامش قمة 'روسيا – أفريقيا'.

وكالعادة، أظهر بوتين لضيفه كيفية استخدام سماعات الترجمة الفورية. pic.twitter.com/baAhm9d25I

— Russia news | الموجز الروسي (@mog_russ)

October 28, 2026

President Putin welcomed President Sisi’s visit and his participation in the summit. President Sisi, in turn, praised Russia for hosting the gathering and said he hoped it would advance cooperation between Russia and African countries. He also reaffirmed Egypt’s interest in deepening its strategic relationship with Moscow and expanding cooperation across areas of mutual concern.

The leaders reviewed progress on major joint projects, including the El Dabaa nuclear power plant and plans for a Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The discussions also addressed prospects for broader collaboration in trade, health, tourism, education and scientific research. The Egyptian presidency said the aim was to support shared interests and widen economic cooperation.

El Dabaa, a major energy project involving Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom, has become a prominent element of the bilateral relationship. The proposed industrial zone, meanwhile, reflects the two governments’ interest in expanding commercial ties and creating a base for Russian-linked investment and manufacturing in Egypt. The meeting’s review of both initiatives placed long-term economic cooperation alongside the presidents’ discussions of urgent regional concerns.

Calls to ease tensions in the Middle East

The presidents exchanged views on developments across the Middle East and efforts to contain current tensions. Both, the Egyptian spokesman said, stressed the need to continue working toward a restoration of security and stability in the region.

President Putin praised Egypt’s role in supporting regional stability and said Russia wanted to intensify political consultation and coordination with Cairo. He described Egypt as an important pillar of stability in the Middle East, according to the account of the meeting released by the Egyptian presidency.

The emphasis on consultation reflects the importance both governments attach to maintaining contact as regional situations evolve. The statement did not identify particular crises or set out specific new measures. Instead, it described a shared call to reduce escalation and sustain diplomatic efforts to prevent tensions from worsening.

The conversation also highlighted Egypt’s effort to use its relationships with major international partners to discuss regional security. Alongside its cooperation with Russia on energy and economic projects, Cairo presented the meeting as an opportunity to exchange assessments on issues affecting peace and stability.

Egypt raises sovereignty and Nile water concerns

The leaders also discussed the Horn of Africa. President Sisi stressed the importance of peace and stability in the region and called for respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of states.

He separately described water as an existential issue for Egypt and reiterated Cairo’s opposition to unilateral measures in the eastern Nile Basin. Egypt, he said, supports adherence to rules governing cooperation among Nile Basin countries and the protection of their shared interests.

The comments reflect the central place of water security in Egypt’s regional diplomacy. President Sisi’s remarks linked that concern to cooperation among countries in the basin, emphasizing that decisions affecting shared water resources should not be taken unilaterally. The presidential account did not name a specific measure or identify a new agreement arising from the discussion.

By raising the Horn of Africa and the Nile Basin in talks with Putin, President Sisi also drew attention to the interconnected nature of regional security questions for Egypt. The meeting’s description framed respect for sovereignty and cooperation over shared resources as important to sustaining stability.

Ukraine also on the agenda

The presidents discussed the war in Ukraine. President Sisi said Egypt supports efforts to bring the conflict to an end and backs initiatives aimed at reaching a political settlement through negotiations. He said a negotiated outcome could help contain the crisis’s effects and limit its consequences regionally and internationally.

The statement did not provide details about a proposed negotiating process or indicate that Egypt or Russia had announced a new initiative during the meeting. It presented Cairo’s position as support for diplomacy and a political settlement.

The Moscow meeting brought together two strands of Egypt’s foreign policy: strengthening economic and strategic partnerships while engaging in discussions on conflicts and disputes with consequences for regional and international stability. President Sisi’s agenda included Middle Eastern de-escalation, sovereignty in the Horn of Africa, Nile water concerns and the Ukraine crisis. The presidency’s account portrayed the exchange as part of continued Egyptian-Russian coordination, with both sides seeking to deepen bilateral ties and maintain dialogue on issues of shared concern.

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