UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine would not be able to join NATO any time soon.

British newspaper The Guardian quoted Johnson, upon his arrival in the UAE on Wednesday, as saying that he made it clear to Putin that it is impossible for Ukraine to join NATO in the near future.

Johnson pointed out that the future of Ukraine should be up to the Ukrainian people and to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as an elected president.

A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister mentioned that Johnson and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed discussed opportunities to enhance cooperation between Britain and the UAE in the areas of energy security, green technology, and trade.

The two leaders also agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation in the areas of security, defense, and intelligence in the face of growing global threats, the spokesperson added.

After his visit to the UAE, a British Embassy official said Johnson had arrived in Riyadh to discuss energy and the situation in Ukraine.

In a tweet, Johnson pointed out that he is "visiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are key partners in ensuring regional security and stabilizing global energy markets," 

We face a new reality, which we have to confront together with our allies.

I'm visiting Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, who are key partners in ensuring regional security and stabilising global energy markets after Russia’s unprecedented, brutal and illegal invasion. https://t.co/ILNwWHnEtm

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) March 16, 2022

Johnson hopes to succeed in persuading Saudi Arabia and the UAE to increase oil production to ease the repercussions of economic sanctions imposed on Moscow and global energy prices.