Russia and Saudi Arabia: A century-long path from mutual recognition to strategic partnership

On Thursday, Russia and Saudi Arabia celebrate a landmark date — the centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Soviet Union was the first state to recognize the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, along with its dependencies, which was later transformed into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the leadership of its founding monarch, King Abdulaziz. This step laid the foundation for the further strengthening and development of bilateral ties based on the principles of equality, mutual respect and trust.

Over the past 100 years, Russian-Saudi relations have traveled a long and meaningful path. At the current stage, our multifaceted partnership has, in essence, assumed a strategic character. In this regard, the role of trust-based, high-level dialogue can hardly be overstated. Important milestones include the first visit to Moscow in 2003 by then-Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and, in 2007, the first ever visit by Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin to Saudi Arabia.

Our cooperation reached a fundamentally new level following the accession to the throne in 2015 of King Salman. A substantial contribution to strengthening Russian-Saudi ties has been made by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Russia highly values his tireless efforts toward the large-scale political and socioeconomic modernization of his country.

A powerful impetus to our long-standing interaction was given by the first ever state visit of King Salman to Moscow in October 2017 and the reciprocal state visit of President Putin to Riyadh in October 2019, as well as the Russian leader’s visit to the Kingdom in December 2023.

In recent years, we have witnessed the active development of practical cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The key mechanism for advancing it is the Joint Russian-Saudi Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The Russian-Saudi Business Council has also been working effectively, facilitating direct contacts between the business communities of our two countries. As a result, bilateral trade turnover has been steadily increasing and new joint projects are being implemented in industry, agriculture and other promising sectors.

Among the undisputed priorities of the Russian-Saudi partnership is the energy sector. Russia and Saudi Arabia are among the world’s largest oil producers. The stability of the global economy directly depends on the coordination of our actions. It was our two countries that initiated the establishment of the OPEC+ format, bringing together OPEC and a group of non-OPEC states. Decisions adopted within OPEC+ to limit, and subsequently to flexibly adjust, crude oil production help smooth price volatility and ensure predictability in the oil market.

In recent years, our countries have taken important practical steps aimed at further stimulating business and people-to-people ties. In August 2025, regular direct flights between Moscow and Riyadh were launched and, in December 2025, flights from Moscow to Jeddah were also introduced.

Of particular significance is the agreement between the government of the Russian Federation and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on mutual visa exemptions for their citizens signed in Riyadh on Dec. 1, 2025, on the sidelines of the ninth session of the Russian-Saudi Intergovernmental Commission. Its entry into force is expected in the near future. Notably, the Russian Federation became the first country outside the Gulf Cooperation Council member states with which Saudi Arabia decided to establish a visa-free regime.

The undertaken efforts, which perfectly complement the trade and economic agenda of Russian-Saudi cooperation, give a tangible boost to the development of tourism, business, scientific and humanitarian ties. A special place is occupied by religious travel: every year, 25,000 Russian Muslims arrive in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj, while tens of thousands of other members of Russia’s Muslim community visit Saudi Arabia for Umrah.

Exchanges in the cultural sphere are playing an increasingly visible role. A vivid example was Saudi Arabia’s participation in the revived international music competition “Intervision,” successfully held in Russia in September 2025, and the subsequent decision by the Saudi leadership to host “Intervision 2026” in the Kingdom. We stand ready to share our experience and provide the necessary assistance to our Saudi friends.

As ambassador of the Russian Federation, I would especially note the close foreign policy coordination between Moscow and Riyadh, including at the main international venues, among them the UN and G20. Our positions on most global and regional issues either coincide or are very close. We are united by a firm commitment to the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety, interconnection and indivisibility; by respect for the cultural and civilizational diversity of the peoples of the world; and by recognition of their right to choose independently their paths of political and socioeconomic development.

The equal and mutually respectful dialogue built over the course of a century enables us not only to take pride in what has been achieved, but also to look to the future with confidence and optimism. Especially since today our countries face new and increasingly ambitious challenges. These challenges are dictated by life itself and the logic of international relations. Together with our Saudi friends, we will continue to work toward their successful resolution and toward the further realization of the vast potential of our strategic partnership, for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries and in the name of strengthening regional and global security and stability.

• Sergei Kozlov is the ambassador of Russia to Saudi Arabia.