Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday for a rare visit outside the former Soviet Union, as Moscow seeks to reassert itself on the international stage.
Isolated by the West over the Ukraine conflict, Putin is courting Middle Eastern allies, with whom he will discuss oil, trade, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“Vladimir Putin has arrived in the United Arab Emirates for a working visit,” the Kremlin announced, before continuing on to Saudi Arabia.
On the runway, Russian state television showed UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and other officials greeting Putin.
The UAE, which is “Russia’s main economic partner in the Arab world,” will discuss trade and oil.
according to a Kremlin statement issued ahead of the visit.
According to the Kremlin, bilateral trade turnover between the two countries will reach a record $9 billion in 2022.
When Putin arrives in Saudi Arabia later Wednesday, he is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
This is only Putin’s third trip outside the former Soviet Union since invading Ukraine, following visits to Iran and China.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has wanted Putin for war crimes since March, accusing him of illegally deporting Ukrainian children.
To avoid a “political show,” Putin skipped the BRICS summit in South Africa in August and the in-person flagship G20 summit in September.
