MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Russia will support South Sudan in addressing its internal political challenges and ensuring security, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.

"Of course, we are aware that further development is associated with ensuring security, with the settlement of all those problems and difficulties that you inherited from the old times. So, we will do everything to support you in this area as well," Putin said.

The president also said that he expected to discuss regional stability and security issues.

"I would be very interested in your opinion," he told his counterpart.

In opening the meeting, the Russian president said that relations between the countries are developing very intensively.

"We were one of the first countries to recognize the sovereignty and independence of South Sudan. I must say that we believe that much remains to be done, first of all in the area of economic development," he said.

According to the Russian president, bilateral trade dropped slightly last year, but is on the rise this year.

"And this is only the very beginning. We have a lot of good opportunities in various areas, including energy. I hope that the work we have done - I mean the construction of a refinery in your country in coordination with our companies, and the plans to build a second phase of this refinery - will benefit the development of our trade and economic ties," he said.

Putin also brought up the issue of humanitarian cooperation.

"People from your nation are being trained in educational institutions of our country. We intend to expand this collaboration. I know that there is similar interaction with the regions of the Russian Federation, including Tatarstan. I hope that this area of activity will only develop," he said.

There was a slight hiccup at the start of the meeting. The president of South Sudan, apparently encumbered by his big black cowboy hat, struggled with the earpiece for simultaneous interpretation. Putin waited patiently, then showed how to put on the earpiece, saying, "Like this."