But it was an off-the-cuff remark – shared by Putin himself – that stole the spotlight.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Moscow on Wednesday, the Russian leader recounted giving Anwar a tour of the opulent St Andrew’s Hall in the Kremlin, home to three ceremonial thrones once used by Russia’s imperial family. He explained that one throne was for the Tsar, and one for his wife – then asked his Malaysian counterpart who the third was for.

“Without even thinking, the prime minister said, ‘for the second wife’,” Putin said, to laughter from the audience. “I hope he is not angry at me for saying these things, but this is an answer of a true Muslim, of a true representative of Islamic culture.”

Anwar, who was laughing while Putin shared the story, responded by saying “I only have one wife, Mr President”, adding that he later realised that the third throne was for the Tsar’s mother.