Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's undeclared bid for president.
Sisi came to Moscow with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy for talks trying to secure Russian assistance that could replace subsiding support from Cairo's more recent ally Washington, news24 reports.
Putin told Sisi that he fully backed Egypt's new constitution and crucially made no mention of Cairo's crackdown on protests.
Putin wished Sisi luck after he told the Russian president about his plans to run for president of Egypt.
The 59-year-old Egyptian field marshal has not officially declared his presidential ambitions but is expected to run.
