Cairo (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Egypt on Monday as Moscow looks to expand its reach in the Arab world's most populous country at a time when Cairo-Washington ties remain frayed.His two-day trip will be Putin's first in a decade to Egypt and comes after a 2011 popular uprising that ousted ex-strongman Hosni Mubarak, who the Russian leader met in his previous visit in 2005.
Putin is a key non-Arab backer of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who faces harsh criticism from Washington for his deadly crackdown on dissent since Islamist leader Mohamed Morsi was ousted by the then army chief in July 2013.
Hundreds of Morsi's supporters have been killed and thousands imprisoned in a crackdown since his ouster.
Experts say Putin's visit is also aimed at showing that he is not isolated internationally despite the crisis in Ukraine.
Officials say Putin's trip is intended to strengthen ties between the two countries.
"The leaders will pay special attention to ramping up trade and economic ties between the two countries," the Kremlin said ahead of the visit.
Putin and Sisi are also expected to discuss Iraq, Syria and Libya and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Commercial agreements are also on the agenda, including a ...
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Cool, let Russia have Egypt. That way we can end the welfare we ship to Cairo every year. Nothing in the Middle East is any business or responsibility of the US government or the American tax payer.
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