Putin speaks to UAE president on Ukraine and OPEC+

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan about OPEC+ cooperation and Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Monday.

The presidents "gave a positive assessment" of the level of Russia-UAE strategic cooperation and advocated for "close coordination" within the OPEC+ producer group, the Kremlin said without providing specific details.

Both countries are crucial to OPEC+ agreements and play a vital role in ensuring market stability.

According to the Kremlin, the UAE president expressed his support for the Russia-U.S. dialogue on the conflict in Ukraine and welcomed the consultations between the two countries' expert groups taking place in Riyadh on Monday.

Putin also thanked the UAE president for mediating prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine, the latest of which occurred on March 19, with each country handing back 175 prisoners of war.