United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Moscow on Sunday, kicking off a visit that will culminate in his participation in the BRICS summit later this week.
Al Nahyan’s arrival at Vnukovo International Airport was marked by a welcome ceremony with a guard of honour, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM), a partner of TV BRICS. The capital city prepared for his visit, with book houses on Arbat Street painted in the colours of the UAE flag. Al Nahyan travelled around Moscow in a motorcade accompanied by a motorbike convoy.
On the first day of his visit, UAE President held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin over an informal dinner at Putin’s Novo-Ogaryovo residence near Moscow.
Putin highlighted the strong relationship between the two countries, saying that all agreements between the UAE and the Russian Federation are being fulfilled and fully correspond to the level of strategic partnership. He also pointed out that trade turnover between the countries has tripled over the past three years.
“Mutual investments have reached US$7 billion. About 60 projects totalling US$2 billion are being implemented through our sovereign funds. Tourist exchanges are growing. We pay a lot of attention to humanitarian cooperation, cultural days are being held. Necessary attention is paid to education,” Putin said. He added that on Monday, October 21st, he and Al Nahyan will visit one of the educational institutions together.
Al Nahyan thanked Putin for the invitation to his residence, stating that personal communication will contribute to the solution of many issues.
“Russia and the UAE are connected by many things: culture, traditions, mentality, this is a strong bridge between the two countries. We are determined to deepen bilateral relations,” Al Nahyan said.
Official talks between Putin and Al Nahyan will be held on Monday, October 21st. The parties will discuss the state and prospects for the development of multifaceted Russian-Emirati cooperation and topical issues on the international agenda.
Following the talks, UAE President will participate in the BRICS summit events, which will be held in Kazan on October 22-24. The summit is the centrepiece of Russia’s presidency of the association in 2024.
Previously, the leaders of the Russian Federation and the United Arab Emirates met in December 2023 during Putin’s visit to the UAE.
