There are media reports circulating that Saudi Arabia has offered Russia to purchase $15 billion in arms as well as render oil and gas concessions if Russia will withdraw its support of Syria’s present regime. The reports refer to a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and head of Saudi Intelligence Prince Bandar bin sultan at Mr. Putin’s Novo Ogaryovo dacha outside Moscow.
In stories leaked to the media, Prince Bandar offered Putin generous contracts to buy tanks, attack helicopters and other weapons in return for Russia’s agreement to scale down its support for Assad and also an agreement not to veto any more UN Security Council resolutions relating to Syria. The Kremlin has denied the stories.
Russia and Saudi Arabia are the world’s number one and two oil producers. Both nations have a strong interest in the assurance of a stable market and both would be damaged if the Syrian civil war expanded to other nations.
