Putin Arrives in UAE for Meeting with Emirati leader

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday for meetings with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to reports from TASS. The initial meeting involved the presidents respective delegations and was followed by one-on-one talks between the two leaders.

After completing his agenda in Abu Dhabi, President Putin is scheduled to visit Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the same day, where he will engage in discussions with Saudi Prime Minister Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. Yury Ushakov, the Russian Presidential Aide, emphasized that Putin would be bringing gifts for his hosts in line with the standard protocol and traditions of high-level overseas visits.

As stated in a press statement from the Kremlin, the negotiations with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan would focus on reviewing the state and perspectives of Russian-Emirati cooperation, along with addressing the current international agenda, particularly the situation in the Middle East amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

In Riyadh, discussions between President Putin and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will cover various aspects of bilateral cooperation in trade, economy, and investments, as well as cooperation in multilateral formats. The leaders also plan to exchange opinions on regional and international issues. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov highlighted that oil would be a topic of discussion during these visits, addressing it both within the OPEC+ format and as a standalone topic.

Peskov noted that President Putin visits to both countries would occur effectively within a 24-hour timeframe. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Russia are all members of OPEC+, and the alliance recently agreed to extend and deepen its production cuts.