Putin talks with Saudi crown prince dominated by oil and geopolitics

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Opec+ cooperation on oil markets and the Middle East situation during three hours of surprise talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Dec 6.

Mystery still surrounds Mr Putin’s hastily arranged trip to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, on which he was escorted by four Russian fighter jets, and it was not immediately clear what issue was so important for Mr Putin to make a rare overseas trip.

Mr Putin’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed came after oil prices fell despite a pledge by Opec+, which groups the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and allies led by Russia, to further cut output.

Crown Prince Mohammed was shown greeting Mr Putin with smiles and an effusive handshake.

“We talked again about cooperation in Opec+,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

“The parties agree that our countries bear a great responsibility for interaction in order to maintain the international energy market at the proper level, in a stable, predictable state,” Mr Peskov said.

Saudi Arabia and Russia are the world’s two largest oil exporters, together controlling a fifth of the oil pumped each day.

Crown Prince Mohammed praised joint coordination between the two countries “that helped remove tensions in the Middle East”, Saudi state news agency SPA said.

“We share many interests and many issues 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 Crown Prince Mohammed as saying.

Russia’s Defence Ministry had shown Mr Putin’s Ilyushin-96 aircraft flanked by Sukhoi-35S fighter jets on its flight from Russia to the United Arab Emirates, his first stop on the trip.

Moscow or Riyadh?

In Abu Dhabi, Mr Putin said he intended to update President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the situation in Ukraine.

A UAE official told Reuters Mr Putin’s visit allowed for an exchange of views on “a number of regional and international developments”.

“The UAE is committed to continuous efforts with its international partners in working to reduce escalation, to find prospects for a peaceful political solution,” the official said.

At the talks with Crown Prince Mohammed, Mr Putin said that a planned visit by the Saudi ruler to Russia was changed at the last minute, prompting him to visit Riyadh.

“We awaited you in Moscow,” Mr Putin told Crown Prince Mohammed with a smile.

“I know that events forced a correction to those plans, but as I have already said nothing can prevent the development of our friendly relations.”

Mr Putin then said: “But the next meeting should be in Moscow.”