Analysts: Putin went to the UAE to wash off the label of a global pariah and consolidate trade ties

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has expanded his foreign travels with a visit to the Middle East, two oil countries with which Russia has become closely aligned after breaking with the West over sanctions. Putin, guarded by four Russian Su-35S fighter jets, flew to the UAE on Wednesday, from where he left for Saudi Arabia in the evening.

Both countries do not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March on charges of war crimes in Ukraine.

Source. This was reported by the BBC.

The visit to the Middle East is intended, among other things, to wash away Putin's label as a pariah on the world stage and to show that Russia has well-known partners, in addition to its traditional friends in China, Iran, North Korea and Belarus.

Russia's relations with the UAE and Saudi Arabia are mainly related to the economy, oil, and finance.

The Emirates have now become a center of Russian business activity and international trade. Russian oil traders have moved there from Europe, Russian money has flowed into Dubai, and many businessmen and their families who left after the outbreak of the war have settled there.

In September, there were reports that the United States, Britain, and the EU were concerned about the growing supply of dual-use goods through the UAE to Russia and sent a delegation to the Emirates to discuss this. And in October, the US imposed sanctions on a UAE company for violating the price ceiling on Russian oil.

Despite the fact that UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan did not go to the airport to meet Putin, he thanked him "for the bright and friendly reception."

The sheikh called Putin a "dear friend," and they praised ties and growing trade, which ended the public part of the meeting.

According to analysts, this visit is not just for Putin. The UAE is trying to secure the status of a new Switzerland, a neutral and wealthy country, a magnet for traders and financiers around the world. It is friendly to everyone and is therefore a great place for international meetings, fairs, and-if necessary-peace talks.

These days, the main annual UN climate summit is taking place in Dubai, and the world's attention is focused on it. Putin's visit has nothing to do with the COP28.

After talking to the sheikh, Putin flew to Saudi Arabia, where he is waiting for the country's de facto ruler, Prince Mohammed bin Salman. They will most likely talk about oil.

Saudi Arabia and Russia are the world's two largest oil producers after the United States. They account for almost half of the total production of the OPEC+ cartel, and together they are able to influence the supply of oil on the world market.

Currently, the OPEC+ countries are voluntarily producing less than they could in order to support oil prices and export revenues, which are the backbone of the economies of both Russia and Saudi Arabia.