Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday in which they highlighted the need for safe passage via the Bab Al Mandeb and Hormuz straits, key global maritime trade routes, the Kremlin said.
It also said the two leaders held a detailed exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East and emphasised that a political and diplomatic settlement remains the only viable path forward.
They also ‘underscored the need for a swift cessation of hostilities’ in Yemen amid the deteriorating military and political situation there.
“The importance of ensuring the safe and unimpeded passage of vessels through the region’s international waterways, including the Bab Al Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz, was emphasised,” the Kremlin said.
With two of its key oil export routes – the Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb straits – disrupted by Iran and Iran-allied Houthis, Saudi Arabia has to resort to exporting oil via Egypt’s Suez Canal.
The US, which bombed the Houthis for two months last year, has so far rebuffed repeated pleas from Salman to rejoin the fight against the group.
The New York Times reported that Trump called off US strikes against the Houthis on Sunday at the last minute, after troops had already begun loading bombs onto planes.
The foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan said in a joint statement yesterday that they affirmed Riyadh’s right to defend itself in line with international law and stressed the need to maintain safety of navigation in the region, amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.
Following a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the ministers also expressed deep concern over the ongoing conflicts in the region, saying dialogue and diplomacy were the only path to a sustainable solution. They voiced their support for Yemen’s efforts to achieve peace.