President Vladimir Putin of Russia is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday.
The Kremlin, on Tuesday, revealed this development as Moscow continues to cultivate allies abroad despite isolation in the Ukraine conflict.
Since deploying troops to Ukraine, Putin has curtailed his international travel, and an international arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court, accusing him of war crimes related to the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.
‘President Putin will go on a working visit to the UAE and Saudi Arabia tomorrow,’ said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Peskov mentioned that the Russian leader would engage in discussions covering bilateral relations, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and international politics.
COP28 UN climate talks are being hosted by the United Arab Emirates, with no specific confirmation from the Kremlin about Putin’s attendance at associated events.
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Since Moscow’s initiation of large-scale hostilities in Ukraine in February 2022, Putin has refrained from attending multiple high-level international gatherings.
Putin skipped the BRICS summit in South Africa in August to avoid causing a ‘political show’.
He also missed the in-person flagship G20 summit in September — though he attended a virtual G20 meeting in November.
Putin has been sought by the ICC since March, with member states expected to implement the warrant should the Russian leader enter their country.
The ICC’s founding treaty remains unsigned by both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
His first journey beyond the former Soviet Union this year occurred in October when Putin visited China.
Several days earlier, his first foreign visit since the ICC issued its warrant took him to ex-Soviet Kyrgyzstan.