Arab leaders converge on Moscow for talks with Putin

Arab leaders converge on Moscow for talks with Putin
Leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi will be in the Russian capital Tuesday for the MAKS-2015 air show, and talks with President Putin.
2 min read
24 August, 2015
Saudi Arabia intends to invest $10 billion in Russia. [Getty]

A number of Middle East leaders are expected to visit the MAKS-2015 International Aviation and Space Show in Russia on Tuesday, where they will also meet with President Vladimir Putin to discuss potential economic partnerships on the sidelines.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and King Abdullah bin al-Hussein of Jordan will attend the opening day of the five-day ceremony in the city of Zhukovsky outside Moscow.

Russia anticipates to strengthen its trade ties with customers from the Middle East.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who met with his Saudi counterpart last week in Moscow, said that the "countries’ relations have become closer in recent months".

“The conversation regarding the situation in the Middle East, begun in Saint Petersburg with the Crown Prince and continued in Doha a week ago, opens the possibility for more detailed discussions,” Lavrov said after the two men held top level talks on the Syrian civil war and the ISIL.

     Saudi Arabia is expected to strike a major trade deal to purchase cutting-edge Russian Ka-52K combat helicopters.



Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund said in June that it intended to invest $10 billion in Russia as part of a partnership with a Russian investment fund.

The Saudi Arabian ambassador to Russia, Abdulrahman al-Rassi, described the visit as "very important" adding that it will "determine future prospects" and "begin a new era in relations between the two countries”.

According to Sputnik News, Saudi Arabia is expected to strike a major trade deal to purchase cutting-edge Russian Ka-52K combat helicopters, designed specifically for Mistral class ships.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi will also visit Russia on Tuesday for talks with Putin, the Egyptian presidency said.

In a statement, the presidency said the three-day visit aims to “boost strategic relations” between the two countries.

Egyptian-Russian relations have greatly improved since the 2013 coup when the Egyptian army deposed democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi.

The two countries signed a $3.5 billion arms deal during a visit by the Egyptian president to Russia.