"Juan Varela noted in his welcoming speech that the peace of the citizens depends on the work of policemen," the ministry said in a statement published on its official website.

According to the statement, Zubov expressed confidence in the development of cooperation in the law enforcement field between the two countries and thanked the Panamanian President for his attention to the police professional training.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will kick off with the opening match between hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday.

Panama have been drawn in Group G, where they will face Belgium, Tunisia and England.