In Moscow, Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of the mediation role of the United Arab Emirates, while President Nahyan highlighted the need for a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Moscow on Thursday. Their meeting took place shortly before the second round of negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, which should be held in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi on Sunday. This was reported by the AFP agency, writes TASR.
The UAE has become a key mediator during the nearly four-year war in Ukraine: it has organized several prisoner exchanges between the two sides and recently hosted talks between US, Russian and Ukrainian officials on a plan to end the fighting prepared by Washington. The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, but it is not clear whether American officials will also attend.
The role of the UAE in the conflict
At the meeting in the Kremlin, Putin highlighted the UAE’s efforts in connection with the “Ukraine crisis”, as well as its participation in prisoner exchanges and assistance in organizing the aforementioned negotiations.
In response, Nahján said that he supports “constructive dialogue and efforts aimed at finding necessary diplomatic solutions.”
Kadyrov’s opposition to peace
Putin was accompanied at the meeting by several high-ranking officials, including the Governor of the Central Bank, Elvira Nabiullinova, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who usually does not participate in bilateral meetings with foreign leaders, was also present. Before the negotiations, Kadyrov, in response to a question from journalists, announced that “the war (in Ukraine) must be brought to an end,” and declared that after all “what has already been achieved (in Ukraine),” he is against peace negotiations.
