In a message to the meeting of the 22 member nations of the Arab League, which began Nov. 1 in Algeria, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the Arab world plays an “increasingly important role” in international politics. In a letter posted on the website of the Russian embassy in Algiers Nov. 1, he said that there is a necessity for a new, multipolar world order, and that the process of establishing that is “gaining momentum.” He described a set of multipolar relations between nations as based on respecting the legitimate interests of all states.
Putin noted that the Arab world accounts for nearly half a billion people, and called for their vital leadership contribution to the world. Major topics at the meeting included the world food and energy crises. On the Ukraine conflict, there is currently a rare situation of near unity among the Arab League member nations, with most observing a stance of neutrality, which severely rankles Brussels, London, and Washington.
