Field Marshal Sisi is in Moscow to negotiate a $2 billion arms deal with Russia |
Vladimir Putin - Master Statesman
- While Obama plays with himself, the Master Statesman Putin is bringing Egypt back into the Russian orbit.
- A $2 billion Egyptian arms deal will put Russians to work in their defense industry while American workers collect food stamps.
- See our recent article A Russian Navy Base in Egypt? - Obama's skill at foreign policy knows no bounds
Egypt completed a $2 billion arms deal with Russia and financed by
The Egyptian and Russian governments agreed to the details in recent weeks, a senior official told
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited Egypt in November, signaling the Kremlin’s interest in rekindling the relationship that foundered during the height of the Cold War.
Putin’s reception of Sisi and Fahmy seemed intended to send a message to the West that the Kremlin still has influence in the Middle East’s most populous country and appears ready to supply Sisi’s interim government with air defense systems and other military hardware that Cairo had previously looked to Washington to provide.
The Russian arms deal in the works is reportedly to be financed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which together with other Arab nations around the Persian Gulf have promised $12 billion in aid to Egypt in support of the military-orchestrated ousting of Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, which grew powerful during his yearlong term in office reports the Los Angeles Times.
In the excerpts of the Kremlin meeting aired by Rossiya-24 television, Putin and Sisi expressed their mutual admiration and interest in boosting economic and military cooperation after the Kremlin leader wished Sisi success in the forthcoming presidential election.
Putin described the relationship between Egypt and Russia as one of "long, traditional and in the full sense of the word historic partners” and based on "the undeniable sympathy our peoples have for each other," according to a Kremlin transcript of the meeting.
“I know that you have made a decision to run for president,” Putin said. “That's a very responsible decision: to undertake such a mission for the fate of the Egyptian people. On my own part, and on behalf of the Russian people I wish you success.”
MiG 29s going to Egypt |
After an earlier meeting between the Egyptian and Russian foreign ministers, Lavrov told journalists that the two countries have agreed to “speed up the preparation of documents that would give an additional impulse to our military and military-technical cooperation.”
Egyptian military spokesman Ahmed Mohammed Ali told Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency that the November meeting in Cairo had produced an agreement on how to enhance military-technical cooperation as well as collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
The news agency also quoted retired Egyptian Gen. Hossam Soualem as saying that Russia has pledged to supply Cairo with 24 MiG-29 fighter jets, air defense systems, the KORNET anti-tank missile complex and Ka-25, Mi-28 and Mi-25 combat helicopters.
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