Putin to Visit Saudi Arabia, UAE in Rare Trip Outside Russia
- Russian outlet Life.ru said Putin will meet Saudi crown prince
- Trip highlights cooperation between Moscow and Gulf states
Updated on December 4, 2023 at 10:21 AM PST
Vladimir Putin to visit Saudi Arabia and UAE in rare trip abroad | South China Morning Post
Vladimir Putin to visit Saudi Arabia and UAE in rare trip abroad
- Putin has rarely travelled abroad in recent years, and mostly to states of the former Soviet Union. His last trip beyond those countries was to China in October
- On Monday, Putin complained of deteriorating ties with the West as he swore in new ambassadors, including from countries such as Britain and Germany
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Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia this week, Russian news outlet Shot reported on Monday, citing Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov.
The reported visit comes after the OPEC+ group of oil producers, which includes all three countries, agreed last Thursday to voluntary output cuts totaling about 2.2 million barrels a day.
Markets reacted with skepticism to the deal because of doubts about whether the voluntary cuts would be fully implemented.
The reported visit comes after the OPEC+ group of oil producers, which includes all three countries, agreed last Thursday to voluntary output cuts totaling about 2.2 million barrels a day.
Markets reacted with skepticism to the deal because of doubts about whether the voluntary cuts would be fully implemented.
- Oil prices fell 2 per cent last week after the announcement, and declined further on Monday.
- Brent crude was down nearly 0.6 per cent at US$78.45.
Shot quoted Ushakov as saying Putin would go first to the UAE and then to Saudi Arabia, where negotiations would take place mainly with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“I hope that these will be very useful negotiations, which we consider extremely important,” Ushakov said.
Putin has rarely travelled abroad in recent years, and mostly to states of the former Soviet Union. His last trip beyond those countries was to China in October.
Apart from cooperation in OPEC+, Putin is keen to cultivate the Gulf states as part of his drive to build global alliances with non-Western countries to demonstrate what he says is the failure of the United States and its allies to isolate Russia with sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
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Putin’s scope to travel abroad was limited in March when the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, a war crime. Russia denied the charge and called the move outrageous, but said it was legally void in any case because Russia is not a member of the ICC.
On Monday, Putin complained of deteriorating ties with Western countries as he accepted the credentials of several new ambassadors.
At a Kremlin ceremony, Putin swore in some two dozen new ambassadors, including from countries such as Britain and Germany, with whom relations have been especially tense during the 21-month long offensive in Ukraine.
“The times are not easy,” Putin told the envoys.
Addressing the new ambassador of the UK, with whom ties have been especially frosty even before the Ukraine offensive, he said Moscow and London were able to overcome differences in the 20th century.
- “In the post-war (WWII) period and until recently, our countries were able to build relations,” the Russian leader said.
- “But the current state of things … is well known and we should hope that the situation – in the interest of our countries and nations – will change for the better.”
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Putin told the German ambassador that he regretted that Berlin was weaning itself off Russian energy.
“For over half a century we were able with Germany to develop a pragmatic business approach that was comfortable for both our countries and the whole European continent,” said Putin, who speaks German and who was posted to Dresden during his time with the KGB.
- “Our country without fail supplied Germany with ecologically clean gas,” he said.
- “This partnership was literally blown up by the explosion of the gas pipe,” he added, referring to Nord Stream gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea that was damaged by a series of mysterious blasts in September 2022.
Putin told the new Swedish envoy that there was a “complete lack of communication” with Stockholm, which is readying to join NATO.
Putin also regretted bad ties with Western ally South Korea.
Putin angered Seoul by welcoming North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia in September. He has also accepted an invitation to visit Pyongyang.
“As is well known, relations of Russia and Korea are unfortunately going through not the best period,” he said, adding that he was “ready” to improve them.
Putin angered Seoul by welcoming North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Russia in September. He has also accepted an invitation to visit Pyongyang.
“As is well known, relations of Russia and Korea are unfortunately going through not the best period,” he said, adding that he was “ready” to improve them.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
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