Speaker of the lower house of the Russian parliament Sergei Naryshkin praised Egypt's democratic and economic achievements over the past year, Presidential Speaker Ambassador Alaa Youssef said Tuesday.

In statements following his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Youssef said that Naryshkin welcomed the Egyptian delegation at the parliament's headquarters and said he was keen on attending President Sisi's inauguration ceremony, noting that Russia has always been considering Egypt one of its key partners in the Middle East.

According to Youssef, the Russian parliament speaker highlighted the importance of Egypt's role in achieving peace and stability in the Middle East, especially in light of the current regional challenges.