MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. The UAE is aimed at further systematic development of relations with Russia and diversification of the areas of bilateral cooperation, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said at talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday.

He added that it is important for the parties to strengthen cooperation on energy and food security.

"It is always important for us to keep our finger on the pulse and make sure that relations between Russia and the UAE move forward. There is no doubt that we are aimed at the systematic development of these relations and the diversification of the areas of bilateral cooperation so that it meets the interests of both our citizens and state institutions and other structures," he said.

The head of the UAE diplomatic mission also noted that the parties need to "strengthen cooperation in terms of energy and food security."

"It is necessary to consider in detail the upcoming UAE climate summit COP-28 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP) -TASS) next year, to exchange views on crisis situations in various parts of the world. This concerns Ukraine, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the Sahara-Sahel region," he said.

Postponed visit

Last year, the Foreign Ministers of the two states held a meeting around the same time in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, while the Russian minister was on his big tour of the Persian Gulf countries. The current visit of Al Nahyan was supposed to take place on February 28, but was postponed. As a diplomatic source told TASS, the delegation from the UAE postponed the visit to the Russian Federation for medical reasons due to contacts.