Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in Abu Dhabi

Russian President Vladimir Putin's airplane landed in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE, on Tuesday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed welcomed the Russian President, adding that the visit “reflects the strength of UAE-Russia relations, which we will continue to jointly promote at all levels for the mutual benefit of our nations.”

Authorities are looking to discuss mutual partnerships and investments.

Russia’s sovereign wealth fund RDIF said on Tuesday it would sign 10 investment deals worth more than $1.3 billion with partners from the United Arab Emirates including the Mubadala Investment Company.

The RDIF and UAE’s sovereign fund have made investments worth over $2 billion in more than 45 projects, the RDIF said in a statement.

Russia struck a similar deal with Saudi Arabian firms earlier this week. RDIF Chief Executive Officer Kirill Dmitriev told Al Arabiya that 14 new agreements worth over $3 billion were signed between the two countries.

Russian media report that Putin and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan are due to discuss geopolitical issues, future cooperation on nuclear energy, and bilateral investment.

Putin is on the second leg of his trip to the Middle East, having just left Saudi Arabia.