ABU DHABI: President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday landed in the United Arab Emirates for a rare visit outside the former Soviet Union, UAE state media reported, as Moscow seeks to reassert itself on the global stage.
“Putin’s plane has landed in Abu Dhabi,” the state-run RIA Novosti also reported on social media, while Russian state television showed Putin being greeted by officials on the runway.
The Russian president’s plane was accompanied by a number of military aircraft to greet Putin upon entering the UAE airspace.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed greeted Putin at an official reception held at Qasr Al-Watan. The Russian leader’s convoy was accompanied by a group of honor guards mounted on Arabian horses.
The two countries’ national anthems were played and a 21-gun salute fired as part of a welcoming ceremony, WAM reported.
An Emirati air display then followed, painting the sky in the colors of the Russian flag.
