Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Russian President Viladimir Putin appreciated Pakistan’s role and efforts for promoting regional peace and security. While talking to media persons, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan and Russian President Viladimir Putin met briefly on sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Bishkek. Both leaders discussed Afghanistan issue, situation in Middle East and Iran. PM Khan also took the Russian President into confidence on Kashmir’s situation, Qureshi told reporters. He said the SCO forum provided an opportunity for peace, stability and regional connectivity. During the summit on June 13, the prime minister while giving an interview to the Russian media expressed his desire to increase military ties with Moscow. PM Khan said he was happy with the burgeoning relation between Pakistan and Russia. “This is not the 60’s, things have changed drastically from the past riddled with ‘cold war’,” said Khan.