Myanmar’s president heads to Moscow seeking Russian arms and oil

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday, as the Southeast Asian leader seeks an economic reboot for his war-ravaged country and fresh supplies of fertiliser, oil and weapons.

A pariah to much of the West over his 2021 coup and role as army chief during the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslim minority, Min Aung Hlaing has nonetheless found friends in Beijing, New Delhi and Bangkok over recent months.

That followed a heavily criticised election won by military-backed proxy parties that allowed him to appoint himself president and pivot from his former role as head of the army that toppled the last civilian government.

Moscow now joins the list of capitals keen to welcome him back into the international fold. Putin and Min Aung Hlaing are set to hold talks on Tuesday that both sides have said will focus on economic and security cooperation.

In February, Russia and Myanmar signed a five-year military cooperation agreement, deepening a partnership that analysts say has been crucial to underpinning the junta’s grip on power as it battles insurgencies on multiple fronts.