Russian President Vladimir Putin is embarking on a seldom-seen overseas visit, starting with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a scheduled future trip to Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Putin is anticipated to engage in discussions with the UAE president, encompassing topics such as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, alongside deliberations on oil production.
While the UAE hosts the COP28 UN climate summit, the Kremlin has yet to confirm whether Mr. Putin will be in attendance.
With infrequent trips abroad since March, he has remained largely within Russia, a response to the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC has leveled accusations of a war crime against him, citing the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Notably, neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia acknowledges the jurisdiction of the court.
The Russian leader opted not to attend recent international summits, including the Brics summit in South Africa in August and the G20 summit in India in September.
These trips are occurring at a time when Russia is actively seeking to project influence and undermine the West’s efforts to isolate it.
Mr Putin told UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan that ‘our relations have reached unprecedented levels’.
Trade and oil will be on the agenda in the UAE, which a Kremlin statement said is ‘Russia’s main economic partner in the Arab world’.
The Russian president is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia later on Wednesday to meet with the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The two leaders will “consider ways to promote de-escalation” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Kremlin said.
Russian presidential assistant Yuri Ushakov confirmed that discussions in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia will include topics such as conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Sudan.
Kremlin officials have disclosed that Mr. Putin is scheduled to meet with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi on Thursday to engage in discussions regarding the war in Gaza.
Mr. Putin has chosen to visit only Russian-occupied Ukraine, Iran, and China since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.