Putin & Saudi King Salman Discussed Syria via Phone

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman have discussed the situation in Syria following the National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, as well as cooperation between the two countries on the world oil market.

The two leaders talked over the phone on Wednesday, the Kremlin’s press service said.

“The Russian side has stressed that the existing crisis is not conducive to joint efforts in battling the terrorism threat and bringing stability to the Middle East,” the press service stated.

The two sides also discussed the situation in the Middle East as a whole, including the ongoing tension between Qatar and other states in the region.

Regional issues aside, the two leaders discussed prospects for cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia, including coordinating their activities on oil market and defence sales.

Russia’s President and the Saudi King have expressed “readiness to expand fruitful coordination on the world’s hydrocarbon markets,” according to the Kremlin’s press service, which did not provide any further details.