Russia and Myanmar to Cooperate in Establishing Nuclear Energy

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The leader of Myanmar’s junta government, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, met with the director general of Russian state energy company Rosatom on 11 July. 

The leader of Myanmar’s weeklong trip to Russia included a meeting with Alexey Likhachev of state energy company Rosatom, which culminated in the the signing of several memorandums of understanding which indicate the two countries’ intentions to cooperate on the development of nuclear energy in Myanmar.

Both countries are facing more and more sanctions from the US and Europe, sanctions limit their ability to collaborate on such projects with other countries. ASEAN has recently been asked by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to put more pressure on Myanmar. 

This trip was the Senior General’s second visit to Russia since the coup that put him in power in February of 2021. While his first visit focused on visiting defense contractors, this visit primarily focused on visits with science and technology organizations, including a visit with Roscosmos, the Russian space agency.

Discussions were also held with Russian defense authorities on military cooperation and on holding drills with the two countries’ armed forces. The leader of Myanmar did not visit with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and Russian media has reported the visit as “private.”