RIYADH: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with oil-rich Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to lobby for higher production on Wednesday after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent markets into turmoil.

Johnson, one of the few Western leaders to visit Riyadh since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, spoke with Prince Mohammed after talks with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in the United Arab Emirates.

The UK leader is hoping the oil-rich Gulf states will raise production to help calm oil prices, which soared to nearly $140 a barrel before dropping below $100, and help end the West’s dependency on Russian oil following the invasion.

His visit coincides with fresh condemnation of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record after 81 people were put to death in a mass execution on Saturday. Rights groups questioned whether they had received fair trials.

Also in the region during Johnson’s visit, British-Iranians Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori were released after years in detention in Iran on charges of plotting to overthrow the government and spying for Israel, respectively.

Their families believe they were held as political prisoners until the UK settled a 400-million ($520 million, 475 million euro) debt for defence equipment dating back to the time of the shah of Iran.

In their talks, Johnson and Prince Mohammed discussed “regional and international issues of common interest and efforts exerted in their regard, including the developments in Ukraine”, the official Saudi Press Agency said, without mentioning any talks on oil.

Johnson met Prince Mohammed after discussing “the stability of the global oil markets” with Emirati royal Sheikh Mohammed, according to the UAE’s official WAM news agency.

“The leaders welcomed the long-standing partnership between our two countries and discussed opportunities to increase collaboration between the UK and UAE on energy security, green technology, and trade,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. Before leaving for Riyadh, Johnson promised to raise human rights issues with Prince Mohammed, but he also stressed Britain’s “very important relationship” with the oil-rich Gulf.

“It’s not just a question of looking at the OPEC countries and what they can do to increase supply, though that is important,” Johnson told British media.

“When we look at the dependency the West in particular has built up on Putin’s hydrocarbons, on Putin’s oil and gas, we can see what a mistake that was because he’s been able to blackmail the West.”

Johnson’s spokesman said he would also ask Prince Mohammed to condemn Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over the assault on Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are two of the world’s biggest oil exporters and both have ties to Moscow, have so far avoided taking a position against Russia.

But Johnson said before leaving that the impact of Putin’s “brutal and unprovoked” assault will be felt far beyond Europe.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2022