CAIRO, Feb 11 (Aswat Masriya) - The United States supports peaceful nuclear programmes as long as they abide by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), it announced late Tuesday in response to Egypt's plans to build a nuclear facility. 

During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Cairo on Tuesday, he signed several bi-lateral agreements with Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, including an energy agreement which will see the building of a nuclear facility in Egypt. 

U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters in a press briefing that her government lacks details about the signed agreement, adding that she understands the matter is under discussion.

"We support peaceful nuclear power programmes as long as obligations under the NPT to which Egypt is a signatory and obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency are fully met and the highest international standards regulating security, nonproliferation, export controls, and physical security are strictly followed," she said.

Psaki also noted that the U.S. government "provides a great deal of security assistance" to Egypt.

The U.S. has long been a prime ally to Egypt until the military ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July 2013 following mass protests against his rule, when relation between the two countries took a tense turn.

Following Mursi's ouster, Egypt turned to Russia, renewing an alliance which has been strong until the 1970s.

Sisi visited Russia twice in 2014, once as defence minister in February and another time in August as president.

In a joint press conference between Sisi and Putin on Tuesday, Sisi said the two sides agreed to "continue reinforcing military cooperation."

The two sides discussed the "depth of strategic ties" that the two states share, Sisi said, describing Russia as a "strategic friend".