Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy and Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi talk during a meeting with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Thursday at Putin's Moscow residence. Photo: CFP

Egyptian army chief and likely new president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was on Thursday negotiating a $2 billion arms deal with Russia meant to replace assistance from old ally Washington.

Sisi arrived in Moscow on Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy for a second round of so-called "2+2" talks with their Russian counterparts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had made a landmark trip to Cairo in November aimed at reviving ties that had remained stagnant since Soviet times.

"Our visit offers a new start to the development of military and technological cooperation between Egypt and Russia," Sisi said at the start of Thursday's meeting in a government mansion in the heart of Moscow.

"We hope to speed up this cooperation," Sisi said.

Sisi later received support for his likely bid to be Egyptian head of state from President Vladimir Putin during a meeting at the Russian leader's suburban Moscow residence.

"I know that you, mister defense minister, have decided to run for president of Egypt," Putin told Sisi in televised remarks.

"I wish you luck both from myself personally and from the Russian people."

Sisi has not yet actually declared his presidential ambitions but is expected to run in elections expected to be held later this year.

Top officials revealed no details of Thursday's military discussions while signaling that all sides were interested in the speedy conclusion of a deal.

Russia's defense chief Shoigu stressed that Moscow "was interested in seeing Egypt be a powerful and stable state."

"In this connection, we need to discuss fairly important issues concerning military and technological cooperation, their current state and prospects for the future."

The head of Russia's state industrial holding company said after the Cairo meeting that Moscow was on the verge of reaching a landmark agreement to deliver air defense systems to Egypt's army.

AFP