Russia’s sanctioned interior minister visits Saudi Arabia days after Zelensky

The sanctioned Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev visited Saudi Arabia on May 23, the Associated Press reported, citing the Saudi state-run media.

Kolokoltsev’s trip to Riyadh comes only days after Ukraine’s President Zelensky’s visit to the Saudi city of Jeddah, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and addressed the Arab League summit.

The Russian Interior Minister reportedly met with his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud to discuss “ways to enhance security cooperation paths between the two countries.”

Vladimir Kolokoltsev has been sanctioned by the U.S. in 2018 for Russia's activities in Syria and Ukraine. He has since appeared on the sanctions lists of Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, and the U.K.

Zelensky arrives in Saudi Arabia, scheduled to meet crown prince

President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on May 19.The president is expected to speak at the Arab League summit and to meet the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for bilateral talks.

Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

Riyadh has sought to maintain good relations with both sides of the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Leveraging its good relations with Moscow, the Saudi government helped to facilitate the release of 10 foreign-born Ukrainian fighters from Russia’s captivity in September 2022.

Zelensky met the Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud on Feb. 26, after which Saudis confirmed their pledge to provide Ukraine with $100 million of humanitarian aid and $300 of oil products.

However, Riyadh’s steps have put the country at odds with Ukraine’s Western partners.
On April 3, Riyadh and other Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) states announced drastic cuts to oil production, ramping up the product’s costs and indirectly aiding Russia.