*RIYADH: Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Saudi Arabia on Monday forthe first time in over a decade, seeking to capitalise on growing influenceborne of military advances in Syria, strong ties with regional rivals andcooperation on energy policy.*
Moscow accrued power in the Middle East in 2015 by sending troops to Syria,where it and Iran have been key backers of President Bashar al-Assad amidcivil war, while the United States pulled back.
On the eve of Putin’s trip, U.S. troops were evacuating northern Syria astheir erstwhile Kurdish allies struck a deal with Assad’s Russian-backedarmy aimed at halting a Turkish offensive.
Russia has also strengthened ties with both Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia andShi’ite Iran, which are locked in a decades-old contest for influence thatveered towards open conflict after a recent spate of attacks on oil assetsin the Gulf that Riyadh and Washington blame on Tehran. Iran denies thecharges.
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Tensions with Iran, which is locked in several proxy wars with Saudi Arabiaincluding in Syria, have risen to new highs after Washington last year quita 2015 international nuclear accord with Tehran and re-imposed sanctions.
Putin, accompanied on the trip by his energy minister and head of Russia’swealth fund, is due to hold talks with King Salman and de facto ruler CrownPrince Mohammed bin Salman, with whom Putin says he has friendly relations.
