DUBAI —Russian President Vladimir Putin visited United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on a whirlwind tour aimed at raising Moscow’s profile in the Middle East, even as it continues its war in Ukraine.
Putin landed in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE and site of the United Nations climate change conference known as COP28. This is his first trip to the region since before the coronavirus pandemic and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
At the beginning of his meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Putin offered to talk about energy cooperation, the conflict in the Middle East and the “Ukrainian crisis.” He praised the current state of relations between both nations and congratulated the country for hosting COP28.
Putin, who has limited his foreign travel since ordering the invasion of Ukraine, visited China in October and made several trips to former Soviet nations in recent months. He faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for the war in Ukraine.
Neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia have signed the ICC’s founding treaty, meaning they are not required to detain Putin in connection with the order accusing him of being responsible for the wartime abductions of Ukrainian children. Putin skipped a summit in South Africa amid speculation that he could be arrested upon his arrival.
Putin escorted by fighter jets
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, greeted a smiling Putin after stepping off the steps of his presidential plane. Four Su-35 fighter jets of the Russian air force had escorted it from Russia and landed at Abu Dhabi commercial airport, as the Al-Dhafra air base is a major US military center in the region.
The United Arab Emirates maintains close ties with Russia despite being an ally of the United States. He received Putin at the Qasr al-Watan palace in Abu Dhabi with a 21-gun salute and a flyover of Emirati military planes that left a trail of smoke in the colors of the Russian flag.
“I’m glad to see you again,” Sheikh Mohammed said as he took a seat with Putin. He later released a statement in which he noted that they discussed “the importance of strengthening dialogue and cooperation to ensure stability and progress.”
Avoid sanctions
The pageantry in the Emirates, which relies on the United States as its main security partner, highlights the UAE’s extensive trade ties with Russia, which have expanded since Moscow came under tough sanctions from the West. Russian analysts have said the UAE is a key avenue for Russia to circumvent sanctions.
Upon his arrival in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, Putin exchanged a firm handshake and smiles with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as they headed to their meeting.
Putin said relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia have “reached a level never seen before.” He added that “it is very important to exchange information and evaluations about what is happening in the region.”
Mohammed, for his part, noted that cooperation between both nations had helped strengthen security in the Middle East, adding that “our future interaction and political cooperation will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the global situation.”
After meeting with officials from both countries, Putin and Mohammed also spoke face-to-face over dinner to discuss the war between Israel and Hamas and “other sensitive issues on the international agenda,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are key in international efforts to broker a settlement in the war between Israel and Hamas, and Putin has close personal ties to both rulers.
Source: With information from AP
