Boris Johnson to visit Saudi Arabia in bid to ditch Russian oil

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Boris Johnson will meet leaders in Saudi Arabia later as he tries to build an “international coalition” against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The PM will discuss securing energy supplies from the region, saying the world needed to “wean itself off” Russian oil and gas.

But Mr Johnson faced criticism for going on the trip due to the Saudi government’s human rights record.

On Saturday, they carried out a mass execution of 81 men in one day. A number of MPs called on the PM to cancel his visit.

But Mr Johnson said if the West was going to “avoid being blackmailed” by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, it needed to move away from using his country’s hydrocarbons and explore other partnerships.

Shadow climate and net zero secretary, Ed Miliband, said it was “a sign of our vulnerability and energy insecurity as a country” that the PM “felt it necessary to go to Saudi Arabia” in spite of human rights issues.

He added: “Once again it demonstrates that the best solution to the energy crisis we face is a green energy sprint at home so once and for all we end our dependence on fossil fuels.”

Mr Johnson landed in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday morning. He was met by British Ambassador to the UAE Patrick Moody at Abu Dhabi airport where he was guided through a guard of honor.

His first meeting will be with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi, before he travels to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

No 10 said discussions would focus on “efforts to improve energy security and reduce volatility in energy and food prices”, including the potential to agree increased oil supplies from the country to the UK.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-60754163