Russian, Saudi Foreign Ministers Hold Phone Talks – Ministry

Russian Foreign Minister and his Saudi counterpart hold phone talks, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Saudi counterpart Adel bin Ahmed al-Jubeir discussed bilateral relations on Saturday in a phone call, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The foreign ministers of Russia and Saudi Arabia discussed topical issues of further development of mutually beneficial bilateral relations, including the schedule of respective contacts at various levels,” the statement said.

Lavrov and al-Jubeir stressed that the promotion of bilateral relations would help ensure peace and stability at both regional and international arenas, according to the statement.

“The ministers agreed to continue meaningful dialogue on the ways of resolving continuing Middle Eastern crises,” the Russian Foreign Ministry added.

In April, the Russian parliament’s upper house speaker Valentina Matvienko said, following talks with the Saudi leader, that his visit may take place by the end of 2017. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir confirmed that King Salman had accepted an invitation to come to Moscow, and the terms of his visit were being discussed.

On June 21, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said the sides had not agreed on the date of the visit as of yet.