عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Gulf

Putin Visits Riyadh: Regional Developments, OPEC+ in Spotlight

Relations between the two countries enjoy a close level of political and economic cooperation (Reuters)
Relations between the two countries enjoy a close level of political and economic cooperation (Reuters)
TT
TT

Putin Visits Riyadh: Regional Developments, OPEC+ in Spotlight

Relations between the two countries enjoy a close level of political and economic cooperation (Reuters)
Relations between the two countries enjoy a close level of political and economic cooperation (Reuters)

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday for an official visit, where he is expected to meet with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Earlier, Putin's aide, Yuri Ushakov, stated that approximately 30 documents, including economic and trade agreements, have been prepared for signing during Putin’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, King Salman will discuss various areas of cooperation between the two countries, encompassing energy, agriculture, industry, military-technical collaboration, as well as cultural and humanitarian exchanges, according to Ushakov.

Wednesday’s talks in Saudi Arabia will focus on bilateral relations and the war between Israel and Hamas, spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said earlier.

Issues related to oil market cooperation are also on the agenda, he added.

According to Ushakov, Putin’s primary discussions will be with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prior to that, Putin will be in the UAE, where there will also be a working visit.

“I hope that the outcomes of this visit will be very positive,” said Ushakov as reported by the Russian news agency Sputnik.

Ushakov affirmed that Putin will address bilateral relations, the Israel-Hamas conflict, and international politics.

Additionally, discussions will cover the reduction of oil production within the framework of the OPEC+ alliance, which includes Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the UAE.

The last time Putin visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE was in 2019, as reported by the official news agency TASS. This marks Putin’s second visit to Riyadh since assuming leadership in Russia.

Bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Russia carry distinctive historical nuances, dating back to 1926, during the Soviet era, as indicated by official sources.

In that epoch, the Soviet Union became the first non-Arab state to recognize the Kingdom as an independent nation. In 1930, the Soviet consulate in Jeddah was elevated to embassy status.

Official visits from Saudi Arabia have underscored the significance of these ties, particularly with the historic visit by King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Moscow in October 2017.

This marked the first-ever visit by a Saudi monarch to the Russian capital, and it was met with a notable reception from Putin.

Between 2015 and 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman conducted multiple visits to Russia, engaging with Putin and a significant number of Russian ministers, officials, and business leaders.

These encounters played a crucial role in elevating the relationship between the two nations.

Official sources identify Saudi Arabia and Russia as the world’s top oil exporters, with Saudi Arabia ranking first, followed closely by Russia.

The countries closely collaborate within the frameworks of OPEC and OPEC+.

Most Viewed

 
 
Gulf

Saudi Arabia Condemns Terrorist Attack in Dera Ismail Khan, Reaffirms Support for Pakistan

Victims of a blast are shifted to a hospital following a blast, in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, 26 September 2026. EPA/SAOOD REHMAN
Victims of a blast are shifted to a hospital following a blast, in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, 26 September 2026. EPA/SAOOD REHMAN
TT
TT

Saudi Arabia Condemns Terrorist Attack in Dera Ismail Khan, Reaffirms Support for Pakistan

Victims of a blast are shifted to a hospital following a blast, in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, 26 September 2026. EPA/SAOOD REHMAN
Victims of a blast are shifted to a hospital following a blast, in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, 26 September 2026. EPA/SAOOD REHMAN

Saudi Arabia on Monday condemned a terrorist attack that targeted a security checkpoint in the Dera Ismail Khan district of northwestern Pakistan, killing and injuring several people.

In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said, "the Kingdom categorically rejects all forms of terrorist and extremist acts", reaffirming its support for Pakistan and its efforts to maintain its security and stability.

Saudi Arabia also extended its sincere condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Pakistani government and people.

On Saturday, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a roadside police checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 11 people and wounding about 30 others, officials said.

Local police chief Safdar Baloch said most of those killed and wounded were security personnel and passersby.

Following the bombing, gunmen opened fire on an ambulance attending the scene of the attack as it was transporting casualties from the blast site, killing two rescue workers, according to Pakistan's state broadcaster.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, offered condolences to the victims’ families.

Zardari described the targeting of civilians and law enforcement personnel as “highly condemnable” and called for intensified action against the Pakistani Taliban, which he accused of carrying out “heinous and brutal acts” with foreign support.

Gulf

King Mohammed VI: Saudi Security is an Integral Part of Morocco’s Security

Moroccan King Mohammed VI (MAP)
Moroccan King Mohammed VI (MAP)
TT
TT

King Mohammed VI: Saudi Security is an Integral Part of Morocco’s Security

Moroccan King Mohammed VI (MAP)
Moroccan King Mohammed VI (MAP)

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, on his own behalf and on behalf of the Moroccan people, has condemned the repeated attacks carried out by the terrorist Houthi militias against Saudi Arabia.

The attacks targeted civilian and economic facilities, vital installations, cities, and residential areas.

The King affirmed on Sunday that what further deepens the condemnation is that the attacks have not been confined to targeting facilities and civilians. Rather, they have extended to desperate and criminal attempts to target the two holiest sites in Islam, revered by Muslims around the world: Makkah and Madinah.

In two cables addressed to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Moroccan King said: “Out of loyalty to the bonds of faith, history and shared destiny, and the strong ties of brotherhood that personally unite us, as well as our two families and our two brotherly peoples, I address you at this critical juncture facing your dear country, when our historical responsibility, religious values and strategic considerations require us all to stand united in defense of truth, sovereignty, security and the sacred sites of the Muslim Ummah.”

“These despicable attacks and desperate attempts to undermine the security, stability and well-being of the proud Saudi people are not merely an assault on the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its people and the Umrah performers there; they are also a blatant assault on the sentiments of more than 1.8 billion Muslims across the world. They also constitute a flagrant violation of the values and principles upon which the noble Islamic faith is founded, including peace, tolerance, and the sanctity of blood, honor and sacred sites,” he said.

“We express our condemnation of these criminal acts, for which the terrorist Houthi militias, as well as those who stand behind them, finance and arm them, bear full responsibility. We consider them all accountable before Allah Almighty, history and international law, with the international sanctions that should follow accordingly,” the Moroccan king said.

“The security and stability of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, like those of the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, are an integral part of the security of the Kingdom of Morocco. Any attack on Saudi Arabia is an attack on Morocco, because we consider standing with our brothers in Saudi Arabia and in the brotherly Arab Gulf states to be standing for truth and legitimacy, while defending their vital interests is defending our shared strategic interests,” King Mohammed VI added.

He also affirmed his country's steadfast support for Saudi Arabia in confronting the risks it faces as a result of the actions of terrorist and separatist militias and the regional powers backing them, which target the security of their neighbors and the wider region with a short-sighted and destructive approach.

He indicated that these actions seek to undermine the security of the entire region, disrupt the stability enjoyed by its countries, and threaten vital maritime routes of paramount importance to the global economy and the security of international maritime navigation.

The King stressed that such attacks “constitute a flagrant violation of international law and relevant UN provisions, foremost among them Resolution 2216 (2015), which calls on the militias to withdraw, surrender their weapons and cease violence, and Resolution 2722 (2024), which calls on them to immediately cease attacks on maritime navigation.”

“The targeting of civilian areas, economic facilities and holy sites also constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and international conventions and norms, and cannot go without accountability or punishment,” he added.

Gulf

Saudi Foreign Minister Arrives in Washington on Official Visit

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud attends a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud attends a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
TT
TT

Saudi Foreign Minister Arrives in Washington on Official Visit

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud attends a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud attends a multilateral meeting with leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, US, September 22, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on an official visit, where he is due to meet his US counterpart Marco Rubio.

The two officials are set to discuss bilateral relations and the latest developments on the regional and international fronts.