Russia's Putin greeted with lavish ceremony on UAE visit

Russian President Vladimir Putin was greeted with a lavish military ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday ahead of bilateral talks with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Trade and oil will be on the agenda in the UAE, which is "Russia's main economic partner in the Arab world," according to a statement issued by the Kremlin. Bilateral trade turnover between the two countries reached a record $9 billion in 2022.

Putin is expected to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia to discuss energy cooperation, including as part of OPEC+, whose members pump more than 40% of the world's oil.