6th December, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday for a brief visit to the Gulf.
The Russian president was greeted in Abu Dhabi by Emirati President, Mohammed bin Sajid, the country’s state news agency WAM announced on X.
Putin plans to travel to Saudi Arabia later on to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Putin praised the bilateral relationship between the countries as historically unprecedented and invited Sajid to attend the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, according to Russian information.
The BRICS countries include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
According to Putin, the United Arab Emirates is Russia’s most important trading partner in the Arab region.
The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine were also addressed during the talks, according to Russian media.
According to Russian state news agency Tass, Putin last visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE in 2019.
The Russian president has rarely made foreign trips since ordering the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
(dpa/NAN)