During a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg on Tuesday, Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) insisted on “the need to keep dialogue between Russia and Ukraine open” in an effort to “reach a political settlement in order to achieve global peace and security.”
In this regard, MBZ briefed Putin about Kyiv’s position on a “number of issues.”
Today I arrived in St. Petersburg and met with President Vladimir Putin. We discussed several issues of mutual concern, including the Ukraine crisis, and the importance of engaging in dialogue to reduce tensions and arrive at a diplomatic solution. pic.twitter.com/uOgGAxDP6x
— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) October 11, 2022
Putin, for his part, acknowledged that the “current international relations are complicated” and stressed that Russia-UAE ties are key for “regional and overall global stability.” “I know that you are concerned about the entire situation that is developing, and I know about your desire to make a contribution to resolving all contentious issues, including the ongoing crisis in Ukraine,” he added.
The Russian president also informed MBZ about all the developments surrounding Russia’s efforts to maintain nuclear security at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest in Europe. The Emirati president said that the UAE is “monitoring the situation at the plant.”
#UAE affirms support to efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the #Ukraine crisis, stressing its call for dialogue &deescalation. President @MohamedBinZayed visit to #Russia comes within this framework as #UAE seeks to contribute to regional &global security &stability.
— Afra Al Hameli (@AfraMalHameli) October 10, 2022
To this end, Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to MBZ, said that while the Emirati president’s meeting with Putin focused largely on bilateral relations, he also spoke of the need to find an urgent solution to the Ukraine war. In fact, prior to the bilateral visit, the Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement on Monday that the meeting was aimed at “communicating with all parties concerned in the Ukraine crisis to help reach effective political solutions.”
The UAE has acted as a bridge between Russia and Ukraine during the course of the war and played an important role in the surprise prisoner exchange of about 300 people, including 10 foreigners—two Britons and a Moroccan who were sentenced to death in June after being captured fighting for Ukraine and three other Britons, two Americans, a Croatian, and a Swedish national—between the two countries last month.
MBZ’s meeting with Putin comes less than a week after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its Russia-led oil-producing allies (OPEC+) decided to cut oil production by two million barrels per day (bpd), leading to oil prices rising to a three-week high, with Brent crude increasing by $1.57 to $93.37 per barrel and the United States (US) West Texas Intermediary (WTI) crude rising by 1.4% to $87.76 a barrel.
In a joint statement, US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese said that President Joe Biden “is disappointed by the short-sighted decision,” especially when the global economy is suffering due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “At a time when maintaining a global supply of energy is of paramount importance, this decision will have the most negative impact on lower- and middle-income countries that are already reeling from elevated energy prices,” the statement noted.
It still puzzles me how Biden lost the Gulf. Saudi Arabia, US's traditional ally in the region, voted with Russia to cut oil output when US wanted it to be raised. Now, MBZ, leader of UAE, another ally, went to Moscow & met Putin, who Biden wanted gone, when the war is still on.
— Stanly Johny (@johnstanly) October 11, 2022
Furthermore, US lawmakers called on the government to “freeze” all cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including all arms sales and security cooperation, with Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez declaring, “I will not green-light any cooperation with Riyadh until the Kingdom reassesses its position with respect to the war in Ukraine. Enough is enough.”
“Either you support the rest of the free world in trying to stop a war criminal from violently wiping off an entire country off of the map, or you support him. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia chose the latter in a terrible decision driven by economic self-interest,” Menendez emphasised.
In this regard, Putin remarked that the decision was not “directed against anyone.” “Our actions aim to stabilise global energy markets, so that consumers of energy resources and those supplying them to global markets would feel calm, stable and confident, and so that supply and demand would be balanced,” he highlighted.
Experts note that the Biden administration is desperate to reduce high gasoline prices in light of next month’s midterm elections, as rising gas prices have led to a decline in his job approval ratings.
-Increased international legitimacy and prestige by positioning itself as a mediator (role held by Qatar)
— خليفة | Khalifa (@KhalifaBushhab) October 11, 2022
-Resolve Europe’s current energy crisis
-Ensure steady supply of food (Russia and Ukraine are top producers of grain)
Nevertheless, the criticism did not deter the UAE from forging deeper ties with Russia, as Putin pointed out that the business between them grew by 65% in 2021 and 17% this year, which was “substantial” under the difficult circumstances.
Similarly, MBZ noted, “Despite the challenging coronavirus conditions, we have achieved a lot: our trade grew from $2.5 billion to $5 billion,” with half a million Russian tourists visiting the Gulf state this year.
H.H. @MohamedBinZayed is humanity's sole hope. In darkness, light endures.
— Amjad Taha أمجد طه (@amjadt25) October 11, 2022
Today's visit to #Russia is part of the #UAE's efforts to promote international stability and find political solutions for the #Ukraine conflict.
Despite the darkness, hope sees light.#MBZ pic.twitter.com/UXEOBWpZpQ
The UAE has maintained a neutral position in the Ukraine war and has not imposed any sanctions against Russia, unlike the West. In fact, during a phone conversation with Putin in March, MBZ accepted Russia’s right to defend its national security.
“The UAE also has been more diplomatically active regionally and globally, a skill that might come in handy in lessening the current tensions between Russia and the West,” said a senior research fellow at the Middle East Institute, Asif Shuja.