Kyrgyz President In St. Petersburg To Meet With Putin

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev has arrived in St. Petersburg ahead of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Kyrgyz presidential website said Atambaev landed on March 15.

Atambaev is to meet with Putin for talks on March 16.

The two leaders are slated to discuss issues including Kyrgyz-Russian cooperation, joint business projects, and Kyrgyzstan's impending membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Joomart Otorbaev said last week that his country should be a full member of the Moscow-led union by May 9.

The meeting between Atambaev and Putin takes place amid rumors that the Russian president is ill since he has canceled previously scheduled meetings and not appeared in public since March 5.

Russian officials have repeatedly said Putin is in good health but have not commented on his long absence from the public eye.

With reporting by 24.kg