From elephants to fighter jets: Putin strengthens ties with Myanmar through "elephant diplomacy"

In a new display of growing ties, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Myanmar's military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, in Moscow on March 4, 2025, during talks that reflected a shared vision of deeper collaboration between the two nations (via Reuters).

The highlight? A diplomatic gesture involving six elephants, a gift from Myanmar, which Putin cheerfully accepted, mentioning that the pachyderms were now residents of the Moscow Zoo.

This gesture, paired with the recent delivery of military aircraft, has been dubbed "elephant diplomacy", a symbol of the increasingly strong relationship between Russia and Myanmar, both of whom have been largely shunned by Western powers.

While Myanmar continues to face political turmoil following its 2021 military coup and subsequent civil unrest, the junta has found in Russia a steadfast ally, with trade between the two countries growing by 40% last year.

As they further their military cooperation and discuss potential nuclear energy projects, Russia's role as a critical partner to Myanmar's embattled regime seems to only be solidifying. For now, it remains to be seen how this relationship will evolve.