🎙 Interview by President of Russia Vladimir Putin to Mongolian Onoodor Newspaper (August 2, 2024)

Key talking points:

• The development of comprehensive and mutually beneficial partnership with Mongolia, our close neighbour and old friend, has always been and remains among the priorities of Russia’s foreign policy in Eurasia.

• Our country was the first in the world to recognise Mongolia’s independence in 1921 and for a long time remained the only guarantor of its sovereignty and security. During the summer of 1939 – a critical period for Mongolia – the USSR, which remained committed to its duty as an ally under the Protocol on Mutual Assistance of March 12, 1936, immediately responded to the Mongolian government's request for assistance in repelling the Japanese aggression in the battles on the river Khalkin Gol.

• The Russian people remember with gratitude the support Mongolia offered us during the Great Patriotic War and commemorates joint battles to defeat the Kwantung Army in the summer of 1945.

• Today, Russia and Mongolia further develop the invaluable traditions of friendship, good neighbourliness and mutual assistance. For instance, this year alone, Russia has supplied over 8,500 tonnes of grain forage to Mongolian livestock farms affected by severe colds and snowfalls, and the Mongolian Government has allocated funding to mitigate the aftermath of the floods in the Ural area.

• In recent years, we have been working on a number of new promising economic and industrial projects, including the construction of the Trans-Mongolian gas pipeline connecting Russia and China, works to modernise and increase the performance of the Ulaanbaatar Railway joint venture, the Rosneft Corporation’s fuel supplies for the fuelling complex at the new Chinggis Khaan international airport, and the renovation of TPP-3 in Ulaanbaatar with the participation of INER RAO – Export.

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🛬 President of Russia Vladimir Putin arrives in Mongolia on an official visit.

📍 Ulaanbaatar, September 2, 2024

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🇷🇺🇲🇳 On September 3, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of the State Great Khural of Mongolia Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan had a meeting in Ulaanbaatar.

💬 Vladimir Putin: I am also very pleased to visit friendly Mongolia.

Together with the Mongolian people we marked a milestone event – an Anniversary of our common victory over the aggressors on the river Khalkhin Gol. In those battles we ensured Mongolia’s independence and territorial integrity.

We have just noted with Mr President in the course of our talks that Mongolia turned out to be a very loyal and reliable ally of the Soviet Union and Russia during our fight with German Nazis during the Great Patriotic War.

Throughout decades Russia and Mongolia have maintained very close and friendly relations, and today they are effectively developing. Trade is growing. We interact through our parliaments; last year our interparliamentary commission held its first meeting.

We give very much importance to interaction between our government authorities. In today's world and in our countries it is an essential addition to the development of contacts between the executive bodies. Direct interaction between the parliaments creates a very good atmosphere and contributes to the creation of a legal framework for such interaction.

Thank you very much for the warm reception.

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🇷🇺🇲🇳 President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President if Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh took part in the celebrations marking the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of Soviet and Mongolian armed forces over the Japanese militarists on the river Khalkhin Gol.

The two Leaders laid a wreath at the monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov at the Georgy Zhukov Memorial Complex in Ulaanbaatar.

ℹ️ In 1939, Georgy Zhukov was awarded the first golden star of the Hero of the Soviet Union for the operation on the Khalkhin Gol river, which resulted in victory of the Soviet-Mongolian forces over the Japanese Kwantung Army. In 1969, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Mongolian People’s Republic.

The Memorial Complex includes a museum and a monument. It was opened in 1979 to mark the 40th anniversary of the Khalkhin Gol victory, at a site where in 1939–1940 the residence of Georgy Zhukov was located.

Presidents Putin and Khurelsukh talked briefly with a Khalkhin Gol war veteran and search party members and participants in the 6th “Memory is Stronger than Time” youth expedition.

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🇷🇺🇲🇳 Statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin following bilateral talks with President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh (Ulaanbaatar, September 3, 2024).

💬 I am convinced that our military brotherhood forged during the grim years of ordeals, as well as long-time traditions of neighbourliness and mutual assistance, will continue to serve as a solid foundation for the friendly Russian-Mongolian relations.

These relations are developing dynamically and becoming stronger in full conformity with the Interstate Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, signed here, in Ulaanbaatar, exactly five years ago. <...>

📈 Both countries paid great attention to fostering mutually beneficial trade and investment ties. Russia is one of Mongolia’s largest foreign economic partners. In the first seven months of 2024, trade between Russia and Mongolia grew by over 21%. It is notable that trade settlements between our two countries are almost entirely denominated in currencies other than the US dollar and the euro. <...>

Russia has long been a reliable supplier of energy resources for the Mongolian economy. Over 90% of petrol and diesel used by Mongolia in 2023 was imported from Russia. <...>

There are good prospects for our cooperation in the gas sector. We have completed the design documentation for the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline extension, which will run for nearly 1,000 kilometres through Russia, Mongolia and China. The project is at the stage of state expert appraisal and assessment of its potential environmental footprint. <...>

Of course, it is important to us that Mongolians love and learn the Russian language. Over the decades, Mongolia has established a good teaching system that opens up broad opportunities for studying, expanding business, academic and cultural links between our countries. Russia will continue to support the teaching of the Russian language in Mongolia, including in its border regions. <...>

🌐 As we covered the international agenda, we reaffirmed that Russia and Mongolia have similar views on many topical global issues. Our cooperation programme continues.

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🎙 Remarks by President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a reception marking the 85th anniversary of the victory at Khalkhin Gol (Ulaanbaatar, September 3, 2024)

💬 I am sincerely delighted to visit the hospitable Mongolian land once again and to celebrate, in an impressive setting, the anniversary of our common victory in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol together with our Mongolian friends.

We are paying tribute to Soviet and Mongolian soldiers who fought in those intense and bloody battles. Their feat will forever be remembered by our nations, and it will be emblazoned in the history of Russia and Mongolia. The courage and fortitude of the heroes of Khalkhin Gol stopped a dangerous enemy who hatched far-reaching plans to occupy the entire territory of Mongolia.

The victory at Khalkhin Gol greatly influenced the destiny of the region and the entire course of World War II. After defeat, Japan refrained from attacking the Soviet Union, and our country was able to deploy all its forces, including fresh Far Eastern divisions, against Nazi Germany.

Of course, we remember the substantial support offered to us by the Mongolian nation during World War II, during the Great Patriotic War. Mongolia assisted the front by supplying food, warm clothing and also raised funds to manufacture tanks and aircraft.

Loyal to the traditions of combat brotherhood laid down by our fathers and grandfathers, Russia and Mongolia continue to actively collaborate and to develop their all-encompassing strategic partnership. I would like to stress that Russia has always aimed to strengthen friendly relations with Mongolia; it has perceived and continues to perceive this as one of its foreign policy priorities.

🤝 In turn, we appreciate the fact that Mongolia also steers towards mutually beneficial cooperation with us. Our current talks with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh and other Mongolian leaders have clearly confirmed this. All meetings were traditionally constructive and substantive and allowed to review a wide range of issues and topical regional and international problems, and to chart future prospects of our diverse partnership.

The people of Mongolia have a nice saying: “Choose a new robe but an old friend.” I am convinced that we will certainly raise and address the most ambitious objectives, while relying on our time-tested solid friendship. We will actively expand our collaboration in traditional sectors, and we will launch cooperation in new high-tech spheres; we will work hand-in-hand to strengthen the entire range of our bilateral partnership for the benefit of the peoples of Russia and Mongolia.

In conclusion, I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate the President of Mongolia, as well as all Mongolian and Russian citizens who are present here, on the 85th anniversary of the glorious victory in the battle on the river Khalkhin Gol.

I would like to offer a toast to our common victory, to further development of Russian-Mongolian comprehensive strategic partnership, to the health of the President of Mongolia, Mr Khurelsukh, and everyone present here, and for the well-being and prosperity of our nations.

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