Russia is open to aviation and astronautics cooperation with all countries that are interested, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2021 in the town of Zhukovsky near Moscow, Putin invited international specialists and researchers to join their efforts to achieve "breakthrough results" towards improving flight safety, reducing the impact of aviation on the environment, and studying outer space.
Russian aviation has an impressive potential for development and continues to create new competitive aviation products, Putin added.
He noted that this year, Kazakhstan was Russia's partner country at the MAKS-2021.
"We intend to enhance cooperation with our Kazakh colleagues and other members of the Eurasian Economic Union in such a high-tech industry as aircraft-building," he said.
Putin said that the opening of MAKS-2021 coincided with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, in this connection he mentioned that 15-20% of Muslims living in Russia are employed in aviation and the aircraft industry.
"Our major, leading engine and aircraft-building companies operate in predominantly Muslim-populated regions of the Russian Federation. There are many people who are celebrating this double festival among pilots and airmen as well. I would like to take this occasion to extend my best wishes to all of them on this," he said.
The International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS is one of the world's largest aviation exhibitions, featuring advanced models of Russian and other aircraft, equipment, and components. This year, about 290 companies from more than 50 countries outside Russia took part.
