Anwar said the invitation for the summit, scheduled for Oct 22 to 24 in Kazan, Russia, was extended during a bilateral meeting between the two leaders.

“The invitation, extended directly by president Putin himself during a protracted and substantive bilateral cum working dinner session, is a clear testament to the importance Russia places on Malaysia,” he said in a Facebook post.

It was previously reported that Malaysia had sent an application letter to join BRICS, led by Russia and China, at the end of July.

Anwar described their discussions as “deep, wide-ranging and productive” where the two leaders expressed commitment to strengthening ties between Malaysia and Russia.

He said Russia is seen as a key partner for Malaysia as the country expands its geo-economic space and diversifies its strategic relationship.

“From Islamic finance to agriculture to education, the potential for Malaysia and Russia to leverage their expertise for the mutual benefit of their peoples is immense.”

In addition to economic cooperation, Anwar used the meeting to discuss the conflict in Ukraine and hoped that Russia would pursue a peaceful and sustainable resolution to it.

Both leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza, agreeing on the need for the international community to intensify efforts to end what Anwar described as Israel’s “ruthless genocidal campaigns”.

“As we build on the commitments and shared vision discussed during this visit, I am optimistic that the foundations laid today will lead to meaningful cooperation between Russia and Malaysia in the years to come.” he said.