On January 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed a meeting on military-technical cooperation (MTC). The main topics for discussion were the results of 2025, prospects for 2026, as well as cooperation with African countries. The main quotes of the Russian leader are in the Izvestia article.
About the results of 2025
Vladimir Putin, during a meeting on military-technical cooperation, proposed analyzing the results of work for 2025 and defining plans for the future. He noted that in the past period, the military-technical cooperation system continued to operate in difficult conditions .
"The pressure from Western countries on our partners to slow down and block their business ties with Russia has persisted and even increased," the Russian president said.
Putin added that despite all these attempts, Russia's export contracts were generally being steadily implemented. In 2025, Russian military products were delivered to more than 30 countries around the world, and the amount of foreign exchange earnings exceeded $15 billion.
"Such results provide an additional opportunity to direct funds to the modernization of defense industry enterprises, to expand their production capacities, and to promising scientific research. It is also important that a significant amount of products at these enterprises are civilian products," the Russian president said.
He also noted that a solid portfolio of new export orders has been accumulated during 2025.
"Thus, the Russian system of military-technical cooperation has not just demonstrated efficiency and high stability," Vladimir Putin said.
He drew attention to the fact that fundamental groundwork has been created that allows us to significantly expand the range and geography of supplies of our military products, as well as strengthen Russia's position as a reliable partner, developer and manufacturer of advanced weapons systems.
About the plans for 2026
The Russian leader said that the stable work of defense industry organizations, including the fulfillment of export contracts, became possible largely due to timely government support measures. Additional support measures are being introduced within the framework of the project "Development of military-technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries" for the period 2026-2028.
"Further effective use of available financial and other support mechanisms and instruments is extremely important, because the volume of military exports in accordance with the plan for 2026, which we will finally consider and approve today, should increase significantly," Putin said.
The President also pointed out that special attention should be paid to expanding military-technological cooperation and partnership. He added that more than 340 such projects are already being implemented or are under development with 14 states.
About the agenda
Vladimir Putin noted that other issues on the agenda also included the development of strategic areas of military-technical cooperation for Russia, primarily with partners in the CIS and the CSTO.
He pointed out that this is one of the priorities for strengthening both bilateral and multilateral relations, ensuring stability and security in Eurasia.
"Since January 1, 2026, Russia has been chairing the CSTO, and this requires us to work systematically with partners, including comprehensive approaches to expanding military-technical ties," Putin said.
On cooperation with Africa
The Russian leader added that prospects are also opening up for deepening military-technical cooperation with countries in other regions, including Africa .
"We sincerely value our historically strong, friendly, and truly trusting relations with African countries. Over the years, the USSR and then Russia supplied African countries with a significant amount of weapons and military equipment, trained specialists in their production, operation, repair, as well as military personnel," Putin recalled.
He also pointed out that, despite pressure from Western countries, African partners express their readiness to expand relations with Russia in the military and military-technical fields. We are talking not only about increasing the supply of Russian military exports, but also about the purchase of other weapons, materials and products.
Context
On December 1, 2025, Vladimir Putin said that Russia needed to continue expanding military-technical cooperation, as well as strictly fulfill export obligations and confirm its reputation as a reliable partner.
Later, on December 15, he ratified an intergovernmental agreement between Russia and India on the procedure for sending military formations, warships and aircraft to the territories of both countries. It was noted that the agreement was developed to determine the order of deployment of military units, visits of warships to ports and the use of airspace and airfield infrastructure for military aircraft of Russia and India.
The document also provides for the organization of logistical support for Russian and Indian military formations during joint exercises, training, humanitarian assistance and elimination of consequences of natural disasters, man-made disasters.
In addition, according to Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, in 2025 Russia signed plans for military and military-technical cooperation with eight countries, including Belarus and Asian countries.
He added that Russia has introduced a new format of plans for three and five years in the field of military and military-technical cooperation with partners, which involves the exchange of experience in various fields of military affairs, training of specialists, joint exercises and other practical forms of interaction, as well as military-technical assistance and military-technical cooperation.
