Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for urgent high-stakes discussions with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) on oil, Gaza, and Ukraine. The meeting, characterized by its urgency, underscores the critical nature of the issues at hand and the need for swift diplomatic resolution.
As global attention focuses on Putin’s Saudi urgent talks, the outcomes of these discussions are anticipated to have far-reaching implications for regional stability, energy markets, and geopolitical dynamics. The talks follow Putin’s recently concluded rare overseas trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Putin and the UAE president were slated to address conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, along with discussions on oil output. It remains unclear if Putin will attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) hosted by the UAE.
Putin has limited his foreign travel since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest order for him in March. The ICC charged him with unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia, a war crime, but the UAE and Saudi Arabia do not recognize the court’s authority.
Recent international meetings Putin avoided include the Brics summit in South Africa in August and the G20 summit in India in September. These travels align with Russia’s efforts to project influence and counter Western attempts to isolate the country.
In the UAE, Putin emphasized the unprecedented levels of relations, stating, “Our relations have reached unprecedented levels,” to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Trade and oil discussions were on the agenda, with the UAE being described as “Russia’s main economic partner in the Arab world” in a Kremlin statement.
Later on Wednesday, Putin was expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. The Kremlin announced that the leaders would explore ways to de-escalate the Israel-Hamas confrontation.
The UAE and Saudi Arabia meetings were also set to address conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Sudan, according to Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov. Putin is confirmed to meet with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi on Thursday to discuss the Gaza conflict.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has visited only Russian-occupied Ukraine, Iran, and China.
