Putin Says Russia to Continue Contact with US on Space Exploration, COVID-19 Fight
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The Russian government will continue cooperating with the United States on space exploration and will further commit to support the progamme of manned cosmonautics development, Russian President Putin said on Friday.
The statement comes as the Russian president held a videocall with astronauts on the International Space Station from his Novo-Ogaryovo residence.
In his videocall with the ISS astronauts, Putin said that space exploration remains a symbol of human development which creates new opportunities.
Putin also addressed the current COVID-19 pandemic, saying that Russia will continue to cooperate with the United States to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, Sputnik reported.
“Russia has vast experience in international cooperation in space. We are glad that our specialists successfully work on the ISS programme with colleagues from the US, one of the leading space powers. This is a clear example of the collective partnership of our countries to the benefit of all mankind. Similarly, we are trying to cooperate on urgent matters, such as the fight against the pandemic and the situation on world markets," Putin said.
The president added that Russia should ramp up its position in the global space launch services market also calling for prioritizing manned spaceflights development where the nation should retain its leadership.
He also congratulated the crew on the upcoming Cosmonautics Day, celebrated in Russia and the former Soviet republics on 12 April.
Putin's videocall comes as Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner and US astronaut Chris Cassady arrived at the International Space Station after flying aboard a Soyuz spacecraft on Thursday.