The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, centering on bilateral trade, the Gaza conflict, and Syria’s relationship with Russia following the removal of its longstanding leader.
During their meeting at the Kremlin, Putin remarked, “Qatar is one of our key partners, particularly in the Middle East.” He highlighted the Gulf nation’s significant mediation in efforts to reunite Ukrainian children who have been taken to Russia with their families.
The Russian president acknowledged that trade between Qatar and Russia remains “limited,” yet he noted the partnership Qatar has with the Russian energy company Rosneft and expressed optimism for new and “exciting” collaborations through OPEC.
The Emir of Qatar concurred that the existing trade levels do not reflect the strength of the bilateral relationship and expressed pride in cooperative investments in pharmaceutical production. He also mentioned that further business agreements are anticipated to be finalized during this visit.
Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, previously mentioned that the two leaders would “exchange views” regarding Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, but the Kremlin’s summary of their public statements made no reference to that issue.
Regarding the ongoing situation in Gaza, the emir accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire agreement established in January by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. He stated that Qatar will “endeavor to bridge perspectives to reach an agreement that alleviates the suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza.”
In response, Putin commended Qatar for its “serious efforts to address the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,” labeling the civilian casualties resulting from the war as a “tragedy.” He asserted that a lasting resolution can only be achieved based on a UN resolution, primarily through the establishment of two independent states.
On the topic of Syria, where Islamist rebels displaced the long-time leader Bashar al-Assad, who was allied with the Kremlin, Putin indicated that Russia desires to see “a sovereign, independent, and territorially intact” Syria.
The emir mentioned that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, during a recent visit to Qatar, reaffirmed his dedication to maintaining historical ties with Russia “founded on mutual respect and consideration for the interests of both nations.”
The Kremlin appears keen to establish relations with Syria’s new leadership while retaining its military presence in the country.
Attendees of Thursday’s discussions included Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, senior Putin aide Yury Ushakov, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
Reporting by AFP contributed to this coverage.
