Russian President Vladimir Putin, 2nd left, welcomes Myanmar's Military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing during their meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Pavel Bednyakov, Pool)

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin was holding talks on Tuesday with the head of Myanmar’s military government, who seeks to cement cooperation with Moscow as he faces isolation and sanctions from the West.

Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was on his fourth trip to Russia since his army seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Western nations have imposed economic and political sanctions in response to the takeover and the violent repression of opposition, which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians and given rise to an armed conflict widely seen as civil war.

At the start of the Kremlin talks, Putin noted growing bilateral trade and close cooperation in the international arena, and thanked the Myanmar leader for sending six baby elephants to Moscow.

Russia, along with China, is a major supporter and arms supplier to Myanmar. Russian-made fighter jets are used in attacks on territory under control of ethnic minority groups, many of them allies with pro-democracy resistance forces.

Russia defends Myanmar’s military government in international forums, and the ruling generals generally support Moscow’s foreign policy agenda. The countries have held joint military drills and signed a pact on developing nuclear power.

The countries signed agreements to outline cooperation around Moscow building nuclear power plants in Myanmar and recognize academic qualifications.

Ming Aung Hlaing emphasized his military government’s support for Russia’s military action in Ukraine.

“Russia is a key backer of the Myanmar military,” said Morgan Michaels, a Singapore-based analyst with the International Institute of Strategic Studies. “In addition to diplomatic and symbolic support, it plays a vital role in enhancing and sustaining the regime’s warfighting capacity.”

Nay Phone Latt, a spokesperson for Myanmar’s main opposition National Unity Government, said the military leader is in desperate need of international recognition and willing to trade the country’s resources in exchange.

“So, to maintain his power, he will go to countries that will recognize him and provide him with some kind of assistance," Nay Phone Latt said Monday in a text message to the AP.

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Associated Press writers Grant Peck and David Rising in Bangkok contributed to this report.

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