Riyadh: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Riyadh yesterday on his first visit since 2007, and was welcomed to Al Yamamah Palace by Saudi King Salman as well as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
President Putin received all the trappings of a state visit, with a mounted guard escorting his limousine to King Salman’s Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh.
Putin listened to a Saudi military band play Russia’s national anthem, then greeted officials and sat with King Salman for a conversation captured by state television.
Russian President and King Salman held talks on bilateral co-operation in various fields,
including energy, agriculture, industry, military ties and culture.
Twenty agreements were signed between the two countries, in a ceremony overseen by the King, Crown Prince, Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
A string of multi-million-dollar investment contracts were also signed in the aerospace, culture, health and advanced technology sectors.
The deals included an agree
ment to “reinforce” co-operation among the so-called Opec+ countries – the Opec plus 10 non-members of the group – according to Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
Putin said that Russia “attaches particular importance to the development of friendly, and mutually beneficial ties with Saudi Arabia.”
King Salman told him that Riyadh looks forward to working with Moscow “on everything that will bring security, stability and peace, confront extremism and terrorism, and promote economic growth”.
During his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Putin said co-operation aimed to “strengthen peace and stability in the region and to stabilise the global energy situation.”
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