Putin talks with Saudi crown prince dominated by oil and geopolitics

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman walk during a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 6, 2023. Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS/ File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed OPEC+ cooperation on oil markets and the Middle East situation, the Kremlin said, during three hours of surprise talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday.

Mystery still surrounds the Kremlin chief's hastily arranged trip to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, on which he was escorted by four Russian fighter jets, and it was not immediately clear what issue was so important for Putin to make a rare overseas trip.