In Moscow on Thursday, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who lauded the UAE’s efforts in facilitating prisoner swaps between Russia and Ukraine and for hosting recent three‑way discussions focused on a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
At their Kremlin meeting, President Putin expressed his gratitude to the UAE for coordinating humanitarian initiatives and arranging talks in Abu Dhabi that brought together Russia, Ukraine and the United States, the Emirates News Agency reported.
Sheikh Mohamed said he was proud of the cooperation with Russia on prisoner exchange humanitarian efforts and reaffirmed the UAE’s dedication to fostering dialogue and peaceful avenues to conclude the war.
The leaders shared their perspectives on regional and global developments, highlighting the critical need to advance peace and stability worldwide.
They assessed the Middle East situation and emphasised the pressing requirement to escalate efforts to achieve a fair and lasting peace grounded in the two‑state solution.
After covering global matters, Sheikh Mohamed and President Putin turned their attention to bolstering the strategic partnership between the UAE and Russia and expanding collaboration in pivotal sectors.
They examined avenues to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, technology, space and energy, reaffirming their mutual commitment to broadening collaboration across diverse fields.
Sheikh Mohamed underscored the longstanding ties between the two nations, founded on over five decades of trust and mutual respect.
He also referenced two significant economic accords finalised recently — the Trade in Services and Investment Agreement from August and the Economic Partnership Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union from June — saying both would substantially boost trade, investment and sustainable development.
President Putin welcomed Sheikh Mohamed to Russia and conveyed his appreciation for the UAE’s positive contributions to regional and global affairs.
An official reception took place at the Kremlin, with national anthems played and Sheikh Mohamed greeted by an honour guard and cavalry.
President Putin later hosted a luncheon in honour of Sheikh Mohamed and his delegation, which comprised senior UAE leaders, ministers and officials.
Sheikh Mohamed left Moscow at the end of his official visit, with military jets escorting his aircraft out of Russian airspace as a mark of respect.
