DUBAI: The UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to St. Petersburg on Tuesday.

During a meeting with Putin, Sheikh Mohamed said his country seeks to contribute to strengthening the foundations of peace and stability in the world, and is working to reduce tensions and find diplomatic solutions to crises.

Sheikh Mohamed added that the UAE has doubled trade exchange with Russia reaching five billion dollars.

The UAE’s foreign ministry said on Monday that the president’s visit to Russia aims to help reach “effective political solutions” to the Ukrainian crisis.

The UAE called for diplomacy, dialogue, and respect for the rules and principles of international law.

The Gulf country “seeks to achieve positive results to reduce military escalation, reduce humanitarian repercussions, and reach a political settlement to achieve global peace and security,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Putin told the Gulf country’s president that the UAE has played a major role in the region.

He added that Moscow wants energy markets to be balanced between supply and demand, and that its actions are aimed at creating stability in the energy sector.