Sheikh Mohamed discusses Ukraine, energy market stability in call with Vladimir Putin

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has discussed a number of regional and international issues over a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, state news agency WAM reported on March 1.

Sheikh Mohamed was briefed by the Russian President on the developments in Ukraine. Sheikh Mohamed stressed the need for a peaceful solution to the crisis “in a way that maintains the interests and national security of all parties,” according to WAM. The Crown Prince emphasised that the UAE will continue “its coordinations with the concerned parties in order to help find a sustainable political solution to the ongoing crisis.”

At a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York last week, Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, the United Arab Emirates’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations underscored the UAE’s readiness to work with members of the Security Council to achieve de-escalation and the cessation of hostilities. “Being from the Middle East, we are intimately aware of the critical importance of a stable regional security environment, and of de-escalation, diplomacy, and dialogue. Similarly, we understand from experience the need for inclusive and consultative processes,” said Nusseibeh.

Meanwhile, the Russian President and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince also discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and the energy market developments in light of Russian cooperation with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). They discussed the importance of maintaining the energy market stability.

Members of the OPEC+ will meet on Wednesday. Futures in New York rose near $106 a barrel after surging 8 per cent in the previous session. The situation in energy markets is very serious, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Tuesday after the US and other major economies agreed to a release of oil reserves.

Apart from the call with Vladimir Putin, Sheikh Mohammed also held calls with the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the French President Emmanuel Macron.

With inputs from Bloomberg