The Kremlin Presidential Palace witnessed a high-level diplomatic ceremony, as the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the Russian Federation, Sami Al-Sadhan, presented his credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin, during an official reception held specifically for this occasion, in the presence of a number of officials and diplomats.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Al-Sadhan conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the Russian leadership, stressing the Kingdom’s keenness to strengthen the bonds of friendship and joint cooperation between the two countries.
Celebrating the centenary of diplomatic relations
In a speech delivered at the ceremony, President Vladimir Putin praised the strength of relations between Moscow and Riyadh, highlighting an upcoming historical event: the centenary of Saudi-Russian relations, to be commemorated next February. This date holds profound significance, as Russia (then the Soviet Union) was the first non-Arab state to recognize the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the Kingdom of Hejaz, Nejd, and its dependencies) in 1926, thus establishing a solid foundation of mutual respect and continuous cooperation over the decades.
Strategic partnership and global coordination
This signal from the Russian president comes at a time when relations between the two countries are witnessing remarkable development and rapid growth across various fields. The relationship has transcended traditional diplomatic frameworks to reach the level of a strategic partnership, particularly in the energy sector, where both countries play a pivotal role in stabilizing global oil markets through the OPEC+ alliance. Furthermore, the high-level reciprocal visits between the two countries' leaderships in recent years reflect a shared desire to expand the horizons of economic and investment cooperation.
Future prospects and joint cooperation
Celebrating a century of these relations opens the door wide to a new phase of bilateral cooperation, aligned with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify international partnerships. The coming period is expected to witness enhanced joint efforts in the fields of technology, infrastructure, and cultural exchange, in addition to continued political coordination on regional and international issues, serving the interests of both friendly nations and strengthening international peace and security.
