Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. He praised the Russian leader and pledged to boost ties with Moscow.

Anwar announced after the talks that he had accepted Putin's invitation for the Moscow-chaired BRICS Summit next month.
The Malaysian leader said that it marks a significant step towards the country's goal of joining BRICS.
Malaysia has applied for membership in the group that includes Russia, China, India and other developing nations.
During the talks, Anwar said that ASEAN would enhance cooperation with Russia. Malaysia will chair the organization next year. Observers say Malaysia wants to expand its exports by joining BRICS. They also believe that Russia may be trying to avoid international isolation by strengthening ties with Asian countries.