Riyadh: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman held telephonic talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks drew the attention of analysts around the globe against the background of the Ukraine war and the current developments in the Middle East. It was recently announced that the US navy would be patrolling the Gulf of Yemen. This has increased the strategic importance of the talks between President Putin and Crown Prince Mohammed.
During the talks, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman said that the Ukraine issue could be resolved through negotiations and Saudi Arabia would make every possible effort for this. At the same time, a Russian news agency informed that both the leaders concurred on the cooperation of OPEC countries with Russia (OPEC Plus). For the last few weeks, the United States is demanding that the OPEC countries should increase oil production. The fuel rates have sky-rocketed since the start of the Ukraine war. In this scenario, the United States is targeting Russian oil exports. If the OPEC members increase oil production, the oil rates can be brought under control. The United States appeals to Saudi and other oil-producing countries to increase production. But the OPEC has dismissed the US demand in clear words. At the same time, Saudi too has informed the United States that it cannot increase production given the Houthi attacks.
The Biden administration delivered a jolt to Saudi by removing the Houthi rebels from the list of terrorist organisations. Accusations are being made that, along with Iran, incitement of even the Biden administration is behind the Houthi attacks on Saudi. In this scenario, refusing the US demand for increasing oil production, citing the Houthi attacks as a cause, is like showing a mirror to the United States.
While the United States and Saudi relations are strained, the United States has announced naval patrolling in the Gulf of Yemen for security purposes. The countries facing attacks from the Houthi rebels and the other Gulf countries are viewing this US decision with suspicion. Against this background, the discussions held between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin show that the Russian influence in the Gulf sector is increasing.
A few days ago, OPEC warned the United States that the Russian fuel supply could not be replaced. The US announcement of patrolling in the Gulf of Yemen and the subsequent talks between the Saudi Crown Prince and the Russian President points to fresh upheavals in the Gulf sector.
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