Russian President Vladimir Putin is intensifying diplomatic efforts regarding the situation in the Middle East amid international tensions. On Wednesday, he is set to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and on Thursday, he will host his Iranian counterpart.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, as announced by the Kremlin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin’s working visit would involve discussions on relations, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and international politics.
According to Peskov, during this visit, Putin will discuss “bilateral relations,” the “international agenda,” the “Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” and the reduction of oil production within the framework of OPEC+, of which Russia is a member.
The Kremlin did not indicate whether the Russian president would attend COP28, the ongoing international climate conference in the UAE.
In a separate development, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to visit Russia on Thursday for talks with Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin, as the two nations strengthen economic and military ties amid Western sanctions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the upcoming Russian-Iranian negotiations on December 7, addressing media reports about Raisi’s visit.
Putin previously visited Iran in July last year, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks with regional counterparts in Tehran in October.
Accusations from Western countries claim that Tehran is supporting Russia’s offensive in Ukraine by supplying significant amounts of drones and weaponry.
Raisi’s visit to Moscow follows an invitation from Putin, with discussions focusing on bilateral economic interactions, regional and international issues, and the situation in Gaza, according to Iran’s official news agency, IRNA.
Since March, Putin has been wanted by the ICC, and member states are expected to make good on the warrant if the Russian leader enters their country. Neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia have signed the ICC’s founding treaty.
Miroslava Salazar, with AFP
