Putin lands in Riyadh after UAE in a snap, one day trip to the region

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Dec 2023 22:20

The Russian president will head back to Moscow tonight to receive Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin in Riyadh on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 (Saudi media)

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Saudi Arabia for a sudden visit, engaging in urgent discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman covering a range of topics, including energy, the Israeli war on Gaza, and Ukraine.

The Russian president arrived in Riyadh from the UAE and will be only visiting the two countries on a one-day trip before heading back to Moscow.

His trip to the two Arab countries was only announced on Tuesday, while he is scheduled to receive the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting with MBS that his country and Saudi Arabia enjoy good relations in all areas of cooperation, including the economy, and that it is crucial to share opinions about the state of the region.

"We have stable and very good relations in the field of political cooperation, in the economy, in the humanitarian fields," Putin said at a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Riyadh, adding that "it is very important for all of us now to exchange information and assessments about what is happening in the region."

The preparations for a summit in Russia have changed, but nothing will stop cooperation, according to Putin.

The Middle East's circumstances would improve as a result of Saudi Arabia and Russia's political collaboration, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud stated on Wednesday.

"Thanks to the political coordination between Russia and Saudi Arabia, security in the Middle East has been strengthened. Our subsequent political coordination and interaction will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the global situation and the situation in the entire Middle East," Mohammed bin Salman said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Riyadh.

Putin was heading a delegation including high-ranking officials from various fields, such as oil, economy, foreign affairs, space, and nuclear energy. Meanwhile, according to the Kremlin, the agenda of discussions with the two countries will include oil, the Israeli war on Gaza, the situation in Syria and Yemen, and regional stability, in addition to the developments in Ukraine.

The meetings occurred amid a recent drop in oil prices after production cuts pledged by OPEC+ members did not reach volumes feared by the market.

During introductory remarks, Putin revealed the original plan with Bin Salman was for the latter to visit Moscow, noting however that plans were changed. He also expressed optimism about the development of their friendly relations and confirmed that their next meeting would take place in Moscow.

Kicking off the visit in Abu Dhabi, President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed Putin, emphasizing the strong bilateral relations between Russia and the UAE, while the Russian president highlighted the UAE's significant role as Russia's main trading partner in the Arab world.

Putin, who has described Russia's engagement with the West as an existential battle, has been expanding alliances across various regions, including the Middle East, in response to Western efforts to isolate Russia.