Putin Leaves Russia At Last!

Escorted by four fighter jets, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare one-day lightning tour to the Middle East during which he visited Saudi Arabia after a short trip to the United Arab Emirates.

Putin landed on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, which is hosting the United Nations COP28 climate talks.

Putin then jetted off to Riyadh, where he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud -- their first face-to-face meeting since October 2019.

It was not immediately clear what Putin, who has rarely left Russia since the start of the Ukraine war, intended to raise specifically about oil or geopolitics with the crown prince of the world's largest crude exporter.

IMAGE: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Riyadh, December 6, 2023. Photograph: Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via Reuters

IMAGE: Putin and MbS at a meeting in Riyadh. Photograph: Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via Reuters

IMAGE: Putin meets Saudi ministers along with MbS. Photograph: Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via Reuters

IMAGE: Putin and MbS in Riyadh. Photograph: Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via Reuters

IMAGE: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, and Putin inspect a honour guard at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, UAE, December 6, 2023. Photograph: Abdulla Al Bedwawi/UAE Presidential Court/Handout via Reuters

IMAGE: Putin and MbZ at Qasr Al Watan. Photograph: Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via Reuters

IMAGE: MbZ and Putin walk the talk at Qasr Al Watan, here and below. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Savostyanov/Pool via Reuters

Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Savostyanov/Pool via Reuters

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com

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