MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday,where he is set to seal oil agreements as well as use his influence todefuse rising tensions in the Gulf.
The meeting with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman comesfollowing attacks on Saudi oil installations that Riyadh and the US haveblamed on Iran, an ally of Moscow.
Oil will be “the main topic of discussion” between the leaders, Russianpolitical analyst Fydor Lukyanov said, as a deal between the 24 members ofthe Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is due toexpire next spring.
Russia is not a member of OPEC, headed by Saudi Arabia, but it has workedclosely with the group to limit supply and push up prices after a 2014slump that badly hit the Russian economy.
Moscow and Riyadh — a traditional ally of Washington — have made astriking rapprochement in recent years, marked in particular by KingSalman’s first visit to Russia in October 2017.
A year later, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was under fire afterthe assassination of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey, VladimirPutin went out of his way to shake his hand at a G20 summit.
In an interview with Arabic-language television channels ahead of hisvisit, Putin praised his good relations with the King and Crown Prince.
“We will absolutely work with Saudi Arabia and our other partners andfriends in the Arab world… to reduce to zero any attempt to destabilisethe oil market,” he said in the interview broadcast Sunday.
– ‘Role of peacemaker’ –
Analyst Lukyanov said that Moscow — with its older ties to Iran as newlinks with Saudi — could “play the role of peacemaker” as tensions betweenTehran and Riyadh continue to rise.
These tensions spiked last month after the attacks on Saudi oil facilitiesthat initially halved the kingdom’s crude output and set oil markets alight.
Yemen’s Huthi rebels claimed responsibility, but US officials blamed Iranand said the rebels did not have the range or sophistication to target thefacilities.
Tehran has denied involvement and warned of “total war” in the event of anyattack on its territory.
Russia attempted to keep a foot in both camps — proposing missiles toRiyadh to defend itself, while at the same time warning against “hastyconclusions” regarding Iranian involvement.
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Last week an Iranian tanker was hit by suspected missile strikes off thecoast of Saudi Arabia, sparking fresh conflict fears.
“As far as Russia is concerned, we will do everything possible to createthe necessary conditions for a positive dynamic” aimed at easing tensions,Putin said in the interview broadcast Sunday.
– Syria –
Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Syria conflict would also feature inthe leaders’ talks on Monday.
Russia and Iran are allied with the regime of Bashar al-Assad, while theSaudis support the opposition.
But “it is important for Russia that an Arab country participates in thepolitical settlement in Syria,” said Lukyanov.
So far “only three non-Arab countries” — Turkey, Russia and Iran — arehosting talks, he said.
In terms of business, the visit is expected to result in around 30agreements and contracts, according to Ushakov.
Around a dozen of these — in the advanced technology sectors, energy andinfrastructure — will be signed by the Russian Sovereign Fund and areworth around $2 billion.
In October 2017, Russia and Saudi Arabia also signed a memorandum ofunderstanding paving the way for Riyadh’s purchase of Moscow’s powerfulS-400 anti-aircraft missile systems.
The sale never materialised, however, as Saudi Arabia eventually opted topurchase a US system.
After Saudi Arabia, Vladimir Putin will travel to the United Arab Emirateson Tuesday to meet the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin ZayedAl-Nahyan. -APP/AFP
