Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on April 19 to discuss a wide range of issues focusing on bilateral trade and investment, the Kremlin said. “The sides will discuss the expansion of trade and cooperation in education, science and tourism,”said in a statement on Wednesday. Putin and Morsi are also expected to exchange views on urgent regional issues, including the Middle East settlement and the situation in Syria and Libya, the statement said. Morsi arrives on an official visit to Russia on Thursday accompanied by oil, electricity, transportation and foreign ministers as Egypt remains in a state of political and economic turmoil that started with the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Egypt's beleaguered economy, scarred by fuel and foreign exchange shortages, has been fueling waves of anti-government anger. In addition, the weakening Egyptian currency has raised concerns about further hikes in inflation and prices, dampening hopes of quick economic recovery. Putin and Morsi discussed the possibility of the deliveries of Russian natural gas to Egypt during a meeting on the sidelines of the fifth BRICS summit in South Africa in March, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Morsi earlier said he was planning to visit BRICS member states - Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa - in the near future.
