Russian, Saudi relations at ‘unprecedented level,’ Putin tells MBS
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman praised in a meeting with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday joint coordination between the two countries “that helped remove tensions in Middle East,” Saudi Press Agency said.
“We share many interests and many files that we are working on together for the benefit of Russia, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and the world as well,” the agency quoted the crown prince as saying.
President Vladimir Putin said ties with Saudi Arabia were at an “unprecedented level” in the meeting in Riyadh.
In introductory remarks shown on Russian television, Putin thanked the Crown Prince for his invitation, saying he had originally expected the Crown Prince to come to Moscow, “but there were changes to plans.”
He said the next meeting should take place in Moscow, and that the two countries had good, stable relations in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres.
“Nothing can prevent the development of our friendly relations,” Putin told MBS.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed OPEC+ cooperation at talks in Riyadh and that cooperation would be continued, TASS news agency reported.
“Of course for all of us it’s very important now to exchange information and assessments of what is happening in the region,” Putin said.
Earlier today, Putin was in the United Arab Emirates for a rare visit outside the former Soviet Union, as Russia seeks to reassert itself on the global stage.
The plans for Putin to travel to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were first revealed on Monday by online news outlet SHOT.
SHOT quoted Kremlin foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov as saying Putin would go first to the UAE and then to Saudi Arabia, where negotiations would take place mainly with the Saudi Crown Prince.
Putin has rarely traveled abroad in recent years, and mostly to states of the former Soviet Union. His last trip beyond those countries was to China in October.
With Reuters
