Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to enhance his influence in the Middle East, is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on today, Wednesday.
Following this, he will host Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Moscow the next day.
The discussions during these visits are anticipated to cover topics such as bilateral relations and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, as stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday.
Additionally, talks on cooperation in the oil market, involving OPEC+ (comprising OPEC and allies led by Russia), will be on the agenda.
Peskov emphasized that while these discussions fall under the OPEC+ format, collaboration in this area remains a consistent priority.
“These discussions are held within the OPEC+ format, but of course, cooperation in this area is always on the agenda,” said Peskov.
OPEC+, a group initiated with Putin’s involvement in 2016, recently announced voluntary supply cuts, drawing skepticism from the oil market.
Yury Ushakov, Putin’s foreign policy adviser, highlighted the productive nature of Saudi-Russian cooperation within this framework.
Ushakov emphasized the close coordination as a dependable guarantee for maintaining stability in the global oil market.
Putin’s diplomatic efforts in strengthening ties with Gulf and Middle Eastern states are part of a broader strategy to showcase resilience against Western attempts to isolate Moscow through sanctions related to its conflict in Ukraine.
Putin’s international travel has been limited since the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in March, accusing him of deporting Ukrainian children.
Notably, neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia, having not signed the ICC’s founding treaty, would be obliged to arrest him.
Regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict, Putin has framed it as a consequence of U.S. diplomatic shortcomings, asserting that Washington opted for economic support to Palestinians and abandoned efforts for a Palestinian state.
Proposing Russia as a potential mediator due to its amicable ties with both Israel and the Palestinians, Putin stated that Moscow is impartial and not favoring any party involved in the conflict. “no one could suspect us of playing up to one party.”
