KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today that Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to confirm whether he will visit Malaysia, adding that Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak will represent the country for the 47th Asean Summit.
Anwar said Malaysia had extended an invitation to Putin, who indicated during their meeting in Beijing that he was seriously considering the visit.
“We have sent him an invitation. He told me in Beijing that he will seriously consider this. But for now, he is sending the deputy prime minister, and we’ll know by today whether he’s coming,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) Knowledge Forum 2025 here today.
He said there was a strong possibility that Putin might attend, as the Russian leader had expressed keen interest in making the visit.
However, Anwar noted that, for now, only the deputy prime minister’s participation had been confirmed.
The summit, which will take place from October 26 to 28, is expected to draw several world leaders, including United States President Donald Trump.
In preparation for the event, temporary and phased traffic diversions will begin on October 23 across several key areas to facilitate the summit and its related meetings at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
