A high-ranking official at Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, says the company is preparing for talks with Egypt to supply the North African country with modern weaponry.

“We are ready to negotiate with the Egyptian side the possibility of deliveries of new weaponry as well as repairing equipment supplied in Soviet times,” the Rosoboronexport executive said on Friday, RIA Novosti reported.

The official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said such new deliveries would depend on Egypt’s ability to pay for them. However, he said, “Moscow is ready to discuss with Cairo a possible loan to that country.”

Media reports in Russia have indicated that Egypt is mulling spending at least USD4 billion on advanced weapons systems from Russia.

Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that the country’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would pay a 2-day visit to Egypt next week and the military aid is expected to be a major topic of discussion with the Egyptian authorities.

“The upcoming visit will help us to outline the prospects of our [defense] cooperation,” the Rosoboronexport source said.

The development comes after the United States decided to suspend a substantial portion of US military aid to Egypt following an army's brutal crackdown on supporters of Egypt’s ousted president, Mohamed Morsi.

A report by the New York Times said earlier in October that the Obama administration would hold up the delivery of several types of military hardware to the Egyptian military, including tanks, helicopters and fighter jets.

Egypt has been experiencing unrelenting violence since July 3, when the army ousted Morsi’s government, suspended the constitution, and dissolved the parliament. It also appointed the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, Adly Mahmoud Mansour, as the new interim president.

About 1,000 people were killed in a week of violence between Morsi supporters and security forces after police dispersed their protest camps in a deadly operation on August 14.

The massacre sparked international condemnation and prompted world bodies to call for an independent investigation into the violence.