Putin visits Middle East to discuss OPEC+ oil production

The President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, arrived this Wednesday (6) in the Middle East, where he will meet with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

At the meetings, according to the Kremlin itself, Putin will discuss oil production by OPEC+ and the wars in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas.

OPEC+ is an expanded group of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, a cartel created to control product prices through production cuts.

In addition to the countries that originally created OPEC in the 1960s, the expanded group currently includes Russia and nine other nations, and is responsible for 40% of world production.

The Brazilian government became involved in a controversy, during COP28, the Global Climate Summit, which is also being held in the United Arab Emirates, by first indicating that it would participate in OPEC+, and then pointing out that it would be to convince producers that fossil fuels will reach the end.

There is no indication that Putin will attend COP28, an event that has been trying to force countries to produce and consume less oil.

Putin has already met with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and will also meet, in Riyadh, with the crown prince and prime minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman – known as MBS.

The meetings with Arab leaders come shortly after oil prices fell, despite OPEC+’s promise to further reduce production.

Putin’s last visit to the Middle East came in July 2022, when he met Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran.

Putin’s trips became much rarer after he was indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

If he visits some of the countries that recognize the court’s jurisdiction, he could be arrested.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates do not recognize the court, which gives the Russian leader safe passage.